September 13, 2013 - Find the Silver Lining

For those of you who saw my Facebook post last evening, you know we are praising God for the final pathology report we received late yesterday afternoon, informing us that the lymph nodes which were removed last week during my surgical biopsy (both sentinel nodes, plus two more on the left side and on more on the right side) were all benign. Thank you for your many positive comments and praises to God, our great physician.

The timing of this news came after I was struggling a few days with other news I received on Monday.

As you all know, I agreed to do the genetics test during our first week at the Cancer Treatment Center. On Monday morning, the geneticist called me, informing me they found a mutation in my BRCA2 gene. BRCA2 is a human gene that produces tumor suppressing proteins, but when it is mutated, it does not function properly. and as a result the cells are more likely to develop genetic alterations, which can lead to cancer.

What does this mean? Well, it solidifies my breast cancer as my father’s mother had breast cancer. A woman’s lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is greatly increased if she inherits a harmful mutation in BRCA2. Let me just note that because harmful BRCA2 mutations are relatively rare in the general population, most experts agree that mutation testing of individuals who do not have cancer should be performed only when the person’s family history suggests the possible presence of a harmful mutation, which was relevant to my situation given the fact my paternal grandmother had breast cancer.

So, the geneticist told me since I have the mutation, and I have breast cancer, my risk for ovarian cancer has sharply increased. My surgeon called this past Tuesday to check on me, as well as to talk to me about the news I had received from the geneticist. The geneticist told me on Monday after I overcome my battle with breast cancer, I’d be referred to a gynecologic oncologist. My surgeon even asked if I’d be open to having a hysterectomy while I was under the anesthesia for my bilateral mastectomy and reconstructive survey. With a deep breath and somewhat mixed emotions, I told him, yes, I’d be open to it. So, he was going to speak with the surgeon who would perform that procedure. By the way, after researching her on their web site, I learned she is a breast cancer survivor :)

While continuing to ponder this additional, surgical option, I received a call from my surgeon’s nurse yesterday. She did not think my surgeon had had the opportunity to talk to the gynecologic oncologist and now he was going to be out of the office until Tuesday. We are scheduled to return to Chicago on Thursday so she doubted we would have enough time to have our consult and exam prior to my surgery on Monday, September 23, plus, she actually discouraged the idea of me having all of that done at one time.

To that end, it’s probably unlikely I will have a hysterectomy on the 23^rd but I know that is in my near future. The geneticist in trying to share the positives of all this told me the silver lining was:

 

1.      Now we know;

2.      Knowledge is power; and

3.      We can make decisions for a long, healthy life for Susan.

 

Of course, I guess you can’t have a silver lining without a cloud, nor can we enjoy beautiful rainbows without rain, and we certainly can’t get through this life without a little pain.

Should you find a cloud today hovering along your way, I encourage you to also find it’s silver lining . . . and I pray you don't have to look hard.

Continue to keep us close in your thoughts and prayers, as well as all cancer patients and their families.