New, new, new

A new month, a new diagnosis, a new recipe. 

Every time I think I know what is happening, I am mistaken.  It's like trying to walk around a new house in the dark, you don't really know your way around, and you trip on that thing you couldn't see.  

I was thrilled to talk to Dr. Lee this morning.  He explained the results of my CT scan in detail.  The good news - only a small 3mm left lower lobe nodule on the lung - too small to be significant!  Great! That means no stage 4, no spread, just the breast(s) and potentially lymph nodes, which is still considered local, which is still a clinical stage 1/2 again.  Double great!!

But what about that mass seen on the MRI?  Oh yes, that.  Well, that corresponds to a large mediastinal mass (yes, you'll need to Google this unless you've been to medical school).  It could be the thymus (yes, that tiny organ you didn't even know you had that helps generate T-cells to fight infection), and it could be enlarged because of thymoma (note to self: any time you see the ending -oma you should pay attention). 

So what next?  This is where having a great care team that supports you and has your back is super crucial.  Dr. Lee connected me right away to the Chief Thoracic Surgeon at the hospital and within 10 minutes of finding out all of this information, I was scheduled for his first appointment Tuesday morning!  

I will also need a PET scan.  Yes, one more time pretending to be cookies on a tray.  But I'm getting braver with this stuff...I think.  I just scheduled it and if I'm a cookie, then I will be burnt.  This is a two-hour bake, so maybe more like a small roast turkey. 

Speaking of good foods, this is Dean trying out a new recipe.  He and I made zucchini lemon pancakes for breakfast. 

I have wonderful things happening around me, I cannot be sad.  I am seeing miracles happen every day and they are like a sweet hug embracing me and pulling me through each moment.  

"Mud is where the flowers grow."  Let's get dirty my friends. I want to grow.