I met with Dr. Razaq this morning.
Oddly, using a measurement tool that she says is very common in the industry, my odds of recurrence and measurement of mortality are identical whether I do a full eight treatments (four Adriamycin/Cytoxan and four Taxol) or if I just do four rounds of Cytoxan and Taxol together. The former is a 4-month plan; the latter is a 3-month plan.
It is very odd.
I basically had to decide if I wanted to risk not doing the Adriamycin. It would be nice to not have to deal with the side effects, but a little scary at the same time. After mulling it over, I decided to go with the full eight rounds of chemo. I’d hate for the cancer to come back and for me to kick myself for having not done it. Especially since I haven’t started chemo in the timeframe that is recommended.
With that decided, the stats look like this:
Based on my age, my health, the size of my tumor, the grade of my tumor and zero (technically) positive nodes, if I do full eight rounds of chemo, plus five years of Tamoxifen, my chance of being “alive and without cancer in10 years” is 82.9 percent. (Alan says that’s about Russell Westbrook’s free-throw percentage, but upon further research, it’s actually higher — win.)
The only thing that can raise that is to either remove my ovaries or receive an injection that will “put them to sleep” so they do not produce estrogen. Instead of Tamoxifen, I would take Aromatase Inhibitor for five years. This would raise my percentage to 86.9 percent. So that is something to think about over the next few months.
She only ran the mortality stats for if I were taking eight rounds of chemo and five years of Tamoxifen. There is a 91-percent chance that I all be alive in 10 years.
Cheery news, eh?!
Tomorrow at 6:30 a.m., we will report to OU for my port placement. Surgery starts at 8:30 a.m. I’ll be done by 10 a.m.
I start chemo on Thursday at 1 p.m.
P.S. – Meet the newest member of our family. Her name is Frankie (wig manufacturers actually name the wigs using people names!). It is not as blonde as it looks in this picture. I’m keeping Frankie in our bathroom cabinet where we keep all our extra soap. I cannot WAIT for one of the kids to open this cabinet to get soap and have Frankie staring right at him/her.
Love the hair Jen. Just don’t go with that shade of lipstick.
Frankie needs to see someone about that rosacea!
Please set up a hidden camera next to the dove bars, would ya?
Sending you tons of love.
You are going to rock your Frankie wig! Love you! So happy you are taking extra precautions and making sure we don’t ever say the C word ever again. One day closer to that day.
What those stats don’t take into account is your complete and total awesomeness, so I’d say that boosts those 10-year percentages to 100%, don’t you agree? Thinking of you today as you get your port and take another big step toward annihilating those bastard cells forever.
Love and strength to you and yours, my friend! <3
I second every comment! Time to kick some cancer butt! If anyone can do it, our Jenny can! xo
Hey, I like ole Frankie! Good style & color. Sun-streaked! We third all previous comments. Go kick some serious butt! We’re all here right behind you gettin’ your back!! Love you! Mom & Dad
Frankie does need a little less blush & different lipstick color. Break it to her gently though…
You and Frankie are going to look soooo good. Wishing you a good day tomorrow and I’m gonna rock my Team Jenny shirt at Petra HQ in your honor!
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