8 cancer-free nodes!

I just have to put this on here now because I'm really happy!  I went to see my surgeon this morning and the pathology reports came back from last weeks surgery.  The next 8 lymph nodes in the chain had NO cancer cells!  WooHoo!  That means that I probably won't need radiation after the chemo treatments are done.  I can't tell you how happy I am!  Yeah!  He also removed the dressing and the drain (which means I can shower again--I know, you are all grateful for that).  It didn't turn out to be nearly as painful as the last three I had pulled.  I'll update more later tonight.  : )

- A LITTLE LATER -

I am still pretty happy about today's news, of course.  What a relief!  It definitely means that radiation isn't necessary.  My friend, Mary, drove me to my appointments today and we went to breakfast at lunchtime after I saw the surgeon.  She told me as we were sitting there that my face and my smile are a little brighter.  I think she's right.  : )  I also saw another oncologist today.  She is the second oncologist I've seen, and she gave me a totally different treatment regimen than the first.  I think I need one more opinion!  I asked Mary today if it was OK to get so many different opinions (because they all have my records and know who I've seen), she said it absolutely was!  You know, if this was about an in-grown toe nail or a wart on my finger, one opinion is plenty.  But this is about much more than that!  I need to have at least 40 more birthdays, so I need to get it right and feel really good about what they are doing to me!

Thanks to my mom, Kari, and Cara who all came today to help with the little kids!  I wasn't here much, but I so appreciate the help we get from so many people!  I never worry about the kids when I have people here to help out, you are all so awesome!  One of the hardest things for me early on was what I was going to do with the little kids.  How was I going to take care of them?!?  It has been miraculous to see so many people rally together and take that over for me.  That was really hard for me to give up at first, but now I can see that they are thriving despite all of this.  Brooklyn giggles way more when other people are here than she does when it is just me here!  The baby is very mobile and has actually pulled herself up from the floor to a standing position at the couch two or three times.  It is already obvious that she will be a climber in a month or two.  "Heck" on wheels?  It's coming our way.  : )

I went to the gym tonight with my sister Mel.  She thought it would be a great way to "celebrate"!  It actually felt really good to be back.  I can't wait until I can jog again (I've got a half marathon to train for, after all!), but for now walking slow will do.  My left arm is pretty numb in some places and painful in others.  I can't straighten it out all way without getting a shooting pain up my arm.  I can't let my arm just hang by my side, I have to keep it bent and supported in a pocket or something.  Dr. Fisher says that will get better over time, let's hope it doesn't take too many months!