Research and work

Not much physical activity today, however I got outside for my son's baseball game this evening.  It was a bit cold and windy for sitting, but it made me wish I had gone out to run at some point during the day. 

Although I haven't been physcially active, I have been very busy today. I cleared out my work emails, did some work required by them, and even initiated a few things.  For about half of the day, I also did a lot of personal work related the treatment decisions I'm facing.

I researched Invasive Lobular Carcinoma online and now I'm more confused about selecting the mastectomy vs. lumpectomy. I sent an email to the nurse practioner and to another doctor in the same practice to try to get another doctor to look at my file and give me a call. I want a second opinion and I'd prefer to get it from another doctor in the practice to stay in the same system (for ease/speed of the process as well as because this is the practice my health plan will cover).  Neither the doctor nor the nurse responed today.

I also called the secretary to get the reconstruction (plastics, as they call it) consultation appointment.  I talked with her and am waiting for her to inform me as to the appointment date and time.  Why couldn't I just call them and schedule this?

This whole fiasco has made me anxious about my gyn health, because for the first time since I was 16, I skipped a screening this past year.  So I called my ob/gyn and scheduled an appointment for late November. 

I even have a call into my health plan to learn about coverage for the surgery options as well as reconstruction.  I'm waiting on their response too. 

For someone with very little time to make a major decision, I seem to be doing a lot of waiting.  Thanks to all of you, I am not waiting on my friends though.  You all have been wonderful in providing support and caring phone calls and emails to me and my husband. 

Although my friends are very stong supporters, I am also looking for some breast cancer survivors to talk with.  Today I emailed a knowledgeable and well-connected friend to search out anyone who has been in my shoes.  She might have a contact and will make some calls and get back with me.  I looked online for support groups, but didn't find much that looked relevant and interesting to me.  If you know of a group or person with whom I could connect, certainly pass the information along to me.  I found a Facebook group for James Cancer Warriors and joined it.  Through that, I also emailed a survivor asking for support and information. 

Lastly, I scheduled a meeting with my staff for Friday early afternoon and drafted some notes about what I'll cover in that meeting.  I ran my ideas by a trusted friend and was given the "thumbs up" for what I have planned.  I will tell them about my diagnosis and provide some direction about what they can do to help and support me and each other.