Our day started with a lab visit for blood and a pregnancy test. And guess what, guys … I have news to share!

I’m not pregnant.

So, on we went to visit the plastic surgeon to discuss THE decision. Katie (the physicians assistant) came in first to talk through everything with me in preparation for Dr. Kronowitz. She did a good job of telling me about why she (and ultimately he) believes that the lat flap is the way to go.

Mostly, it comes down to aesthetics. Maybe it is shallow of me, but I’m not gonna lie … it is important to me. I feel like I’ve gone through a lot of hard times in the last 1.5 years, and in the end, I’d like to at least look symmetrical and be the size I was when I started. I feel a little guilty saying these things as other people battling breast cancer are just hoping to LIVE, but I am just trying to be real.

Dr. Kronowitz (I’m sure with a pep talk from Katie) came in with his best bedside manner. He was slow to discuss options, patient with me and walked me through all of his reasoning. This was what I needed to hear. In the end, I feel like either procedure would be a good option, but since the aesthetics were mostly the differentiator, I went with the back flap (lat flap).

I asked for prayers for clarity in all of this, and even though I didn’t go down the route I thought I wanted to go down, it was very clear to me after talking with Katie and Dr. Kronowitz. Thank you for your prayers. They worked.

On a side note, I bet he NEVER EVER springs a “new” option on a patient a week before surgery. Your welcome, future patients.

From there, we went for a meeting with anesthesia. It was uneventful.

Then, we headed to radiology for a chest x-ray (standard before the surgery) and a CT scan of my chest. The CT scan was ordered by my oncologist, Dr. Moulder, to check on what they thought were cysts near my esophagus back in September 2012.

We had a break after the CT scan but before we saw Dr. Moulder to discuss the results of the CT scan so we came back to the hotel. Shortly after getting here, the nurse called. They had seen a nodule in my right armpit and wanted an ultrasound done ASAP since I was scheduled for surgery tomorrow.

NOTE: The word “nodule” is NEVER a good word to hear when you are a cancer survivor. Like one of my support group sisters said when she went in for an ultrasound for an odd mass this week, it is such a painful reminder that you are never ever done with this. That makes me sad.

We rushed back over to the hospital for the ultrasound. Thank God, it was just scar tissue that they were seeing on the CT scan. Whew! A sigh of relief.

And more good news … the cysts by my esophagus have not changed at all.

We report for surgery at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning. I believe the actual surgery is scheduled to begin around 8:30 a.m. It is an 8-10 hour surgery.

I told Alan last night that it is weird (and all psychological, I’m sure), but I have such peace being at this hospital. I feel like I am in such capable hands. This takes a lot of the anxiety out of tomorrow’s surgery. Not that I’m not a little anxious, but I am at peace that I am exactly where I should be.

Alan will be posting a blog at the end of the day to let everyone know how things go. Thank you all for your prayers and your sweet and encouraging texts, posts, etc. I appreciate them all more than you know.