One More Step

Well, the result of the biopsy in the last post (and a second opinion which came in yesterday) was DCIS, a special cancer that is trapped in the milk duct and thus cannot do its host harm, unless it morphs into something more aggressive and eats its way out into the body tissues. Determining whose DCIS will do so (and whose will not) is something we are still a few years away from being able to tell, so treatment for either is often the same, a situation the industry itself admits is often over-treatment. Sad, but more understandable when you become one of those contemplating the dire results of walking away from treatment, then suddenly being invaded by true disease. (A fellow Breast Cancer forum member had this happen. Invasive cancer developed in between screenings, and it was not pretty.)

Anyway, all this to say, we are still inconclusive. So we move forward with a wide excision, commonly done to see if there is any invasive disease in the biopsied area. This procedure poses relatively little risk to know for sure and have more peace. This will be in about 2 weeks. Meantime, I believe that by upping my game on diet, exercise, and joy (read: busting stress), I can optimize my results at the cellular level. (If not, I'll feel better anyway and recover that much more quickly so nothing to lose there.) If invasive cells are found, radiation should probably happen next. But if not, my data is looking quite good for foregoing radiation for now (as it would provide little added benefit vs not doing it). And molecular data which I'd found and hoped could help, it turns out, can! We'll test for this along with other things. Woohoo!
But only surgery can reveal it all. So I rest in my choices, and in my God, and in following His plan of health for my life. Got my ears on for His further instruction and will go forward expecting (and actively creating) the best health, & the best life I can!