The Dance of the Three-Toed Sloth

Lucille's latest perverse pleasure is to take complete and utter control of my time. She sucks time; she stretches time; she bends time to her will.  She is a time demon.

When you're first diagnosed with cancer (and after you emerge from the shock), you think you will move relatively quickly through the diagnosis, surgery and treatment process.  The reality is far from the truth.  The treatment of cancer is a long, drawn out and tedious affair (kind of like line-dancing with a three-toed sloth).

This week has been a marathon of diagnostic tests and doctor visits.  As I've already reported, I had the MRI on Monday.  On Tuesday, we had our first visit with the oncologist.  It was long (would you believe three hours?) and consisted of much blood-letting, but it was very informative.  I was told by my doctor (whom I love!) that if I had to pick breast cancer off a shelf at the local Piggly Wiggly, this is the one I would want to grab.  It is supremely estrogen positive, which basically means there are awesome tools in the oncology arsenal to fight Lucille down.  Score one point for Kristen.  It also means it is a good candidate for a lumpectomy, given my lack of family history and that the use of tamoxifen for years down the road will cover me like a protective hug from recurrences.  Score two for Kristen.  Radiation is a definite, although the use of chemo is still a question mark depending on another lab test post-surgery and on whether the lymph nodes test positive.

Today, we visited the radiation oncologist who explained radiation treatments to me.  That will come four weeks after surgery, then last another six weeks after that.  If chemo is warranted, it comes in between the two and lasts for another 12 weeks. (Remember, sloths dance very slowwwwwwwwwly.)  He also informed me that something "wonky" appeared on my MRI two days ago in my other breast, and an ultrasound was scheduled for tomorrow.  While it is probably nothing of concern, my heart still skips a beat.  Score one for Lucille.

If I've wearied you after reading this, I guess I've slyly approximated my experience over the last few days. But I have to run, because Elijah has youth group, I have choir practice, and supper needs to be fixed.  Life does not stand still for Lucille!