Jennifer Bingham

First post: Feb 8, 2018 Latest post: May 17, 2018
Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.
I went to have my yearly check up in of January 2018, had a mammogram and two days later I went in for an ultrasound because they found a lump in my right breast. Two days after that we did a biopsy and the results of that biopsy came back on Feb 1st positive for cancer.  This was very scary, not knowing what stage it was in or if it has spread or what would happen.   Today, Feb 8, 2018, my daughter Joann and I met with a surgical oncologist, Dr. De La Melena (aka Dr. De) to go over the results.  On the positive side, the cancer is very small, about 1.3 cm in size and is in Stage 1.  I have an invasive ductal cancer in my right breast.  Right now there are two options for surgery, to do a lumpectomy or mastectomy. After being explained the  difference between the procedures  we are choosing to do a lumpectomy due to the small size of the tumor.   But first, I have to be cleared for surgery by my cardiologist!  Many of you know that I recently had a pacemaker implanted due to some heart problems.  Because of this, I have to be cleared by a cardiologist before I can get this tumor removed.  I will be seeing my new cardiologist on Feb 13th, and will find out on that date if he will clear me for surgery.  In the meantime I also have an appointment on Feb 13th at the hospital to get a glucose injection.  Because my tumor is so small, Dr. De wants to make sure the mammogram and ultrasound didn't miss any smaller cancer cells, so this glucose injection will hunt those out.  She said that cancer cells love glucose, so this will attach to any cancer cells in my breast and make them visible when she does another scan.  We are not sure right now what day this next scan will be yet.   Once I'm cleared for surgery, we will get that scheduled and hopefully get this tumor out of me this month. 
I will also be meeting with a medical oncologist before and after my surgery to discuss the medication for the endocrine therapy I will be needing after surgery.  Right now I do not have to have chemo!  This is a good thing!!  I will only have to have chemo treatment if they find cancer cells in my lymph nodes and we won't know this until after the surgery. They will be injecting a blue dye into me during surgery to detect if the cancer has spread to my lymph nodes.  Dr. De is about 90% sure I will have to have radiation therapy after surgery.  I will be meeting with a radiation oncologist after surgery to discuss that.  ...  So many doctors!!!  
I'm really happy that my doctor told me about this website.  I love all of you and appreciate all your love and support as I start my journey to kick this cancer out of me! As I'm sure you will understand, it will be much easier for me to remember everything and make updates here and have everyone read about what is going on then for me to have to retell my story over and over again on the phone.  Plus, this will be a way for my daughter to also make updates when I can not.  Thank you for all your love, encouragement and prayers.  

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