Surgery Scheduled!!!

Disclaimer:  Any of this information can change at any time unless everything goes as perfectly planned...
Thursday at noon Morgan and I met with Dr. Neumayer up at Huntsman Cancer Center.  We talked with her and several others about Morgan's prognosis and continuing treatment.  The doctor walked right in and held her hand out to shake Morgan's and said, "Now you are an interesting young lady!"  (Something that I have always known!)

After about three hours of discussing several options, we came up with a tentative plan of treatment and a date for Morgan's first surgery.  Things may change as we go, but as for today...this is the plan.  Morgan will continue with her next four rounds of chemotherapy as scheduled.  The next round is this coming Tuesday (Oct 19th) followed by November 9th, 30th and December 21st.  Please remember to wear PINK!!!!

She will then undergo another PET CT Scan to see how her two internal mammary lymph nodes are doing.  If they still "light up" with a standardized uptake value of more than 2.5, then the doctors will have to "go after them" in surgery. :) Great medical lingo don't ya think?  On Friday, January 14th (the last day of first semester), just over three weeks after her last round of chemo, Morgan will undergo a Bi-lateral Total Skin Sparing Mastectomy.  They will place temporary tissue expanders in place, she will be out of school for a couple of weeks, and then after about six to eight weeks, will begin her radiation treatments.

Radiation will last for six weeks. She will go in every day Monday through Friday and each session takes about 10 - 15 minutes.  Three months after the completion of radiation, Morgan will go in for another surgery to remove the expanders and place the implants.  From everything we have been told by the medical professionals, as well as other patients, she will continue to look just like herself throughout the entire process and no one would know (unless you already know)!  Of course there are a lot more details than all of this, but most of it is technical and above our pay grade. :)

We have several appointments already scheduled with the surgeon, plastic surgeon, genetic counselor, oncologist, and labs.  This week they will be testing me for the same mutations as Morgan and that could open up a whole new schedule of doctors and procedures.

We are currently in St. George enjoying the warmth, time with G'ma Meikle, and Morgan is with Cody...haven't hardly seen her!  We used the lint roller on her head and a lot of prickly whisker-type hairs came out.  She says it feels better, but you can definitely see the difference it made. 

All of this makes the journey just that much more real.  It will be a good year or so before things begin to settle down and we really appreciate all of you and your support.  Please keep us in your prayers and on your mind.  If anyone has any great ideas for a non-cancer day/fundraiser-type activity...please let me know.  This is the month for Breast Cancer!!!!  I keep telling Morgan that she needs to become the "poster child" for the American Cancer Society's campaign for adolescent girls....someone needs to be braver than I am and turn in her picture!!!!