I am currently at a point in my treatment where the experts do not agree on how best to proceed. I have had two rounds of chemo, mastectomy, and I am now on a hormone blocking drug. I was referred to a plastic surgeon, who agreed to start the reconstruction. During the process of putting in the breast expanders, he discovered cancer cells, which he took out and sent to pathology. The plastic surgeon informed me over the phone a couple of days later and stated he wanted to take out the left breast expander and start radiation. He had previously talked to the radiologist. I was devastated. This was not suppose to happen.
I had a follow up visit with the oncologist and he scheduled a pet scan to determine if it had spread. The pet scan report came back a few days later, during which time I prayed a lot, and asked others to pray with me. This was a test of faith. This Scripture came to mind, I couldn't remember ever having read it before, but I looked it up and it states,
"What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?
Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar..." (Romans 3:3, 4)
I went in to see the oncologist. He asked me what would I do if the pet scan came back negative for cancer. I told him I would celebrate. So, he told me that the pet scan showed no cancer. But he said he still believed that I should have the radiation treatments because it could spread in the future. This was different from his advice earlier right after I had finished the chemo. I knew he had talked with the radiologist who was adamant that I have radiation before plastic surgery. He actually badgered me and called me several times before I had the plastic surgery. Before I talked to him, the plastic surgeon and the oncologist were fine with not doing the radiation treatment. They seemed to think that it was not really necessary.
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So, I left the oncologist's office promising to think about this. I talked with the case manager with the insurance company, and a patient advocate with the American Cancer Society. They both advised me to get a second opinion. I talked to a few doctors, but no one could determine who I should go to for a second opinion - a radiologist, oncologist or plastic surgeon? I finally talked to a breast cancer navigator at a cancer center in Augusta. This was a nurse who looked over my file and she determined that radiation treatment was not advisable at this time. There were two reasons, one it was too long after the mastectomy and two, I was on hormone blockers which would hamper the effect of radiation.
The only question left was why was there a discrepancy between the pathology report and the pet scan.
I think that I should get another oncologist and plastic surgeon to finish the work the other surgeon started. The plastic surgeon stated he would not finish the work, even after the pet scan showed no cancer. He actually got angry with me for requesting the pet scan. We are all human.
So, keep trusting God...
