We are home

Just a note to let everyone know that we are home now. I have lots to post about as a few new things have been added to this crazy mix. We were thrown a bit of a curve Monday before I was released to go home. I don't even really know where to begin or if I can really describe it all so that you can follow the story. I will try.
First, to reiterate about the stem cell transplant clinical trial. The trial is to see if lowering the Circulating Tumor Cells in the blood will prolong overall survial. CTC are a fairly new test that the Oncologists are just not too sure what to do with the info yet. They know that the average person without cancer can have up to 5 of these per 7.5ml of blood. You need to have over five to be enrolled in the trial. Last February, mine were 14. I did not even know every time at MDAnderson that I had my blood drawn, they also drew for this. I never received those reports. Dr. Ueno, my Stem Cell doctor however, did. As of this summer, my CTC are at ZERO. Yep, none! That was good to hear, however, I was afraid I would be kicked out of the trial for now being too healthy! Well, Dr. Ueno changed the protocol for the transplant to say that at one time, your CTC had to be over 5. So, I am still a part of the trial! That was great to hear. We leave the Tuesday after Labor Day and will be down there for 6-8 weeks.
Now, the curve that was thrown at us. I was not going to post about all of this yet, as I am still waiting to hear from the Doctors to talk more about it. But, in the surgery I had last week, I had breast tissue removed from both breasts to send to pathology. What they found really surprised us. Not only was cancer found in the left side, but it was also found in the right side. This has went undiagnosed from even MDA for almost a year and that has even included having multiple ct scans, ultrasounds, and MRI. Last October, they biopsied a lymph node on the right side that came back positive for cancer. They could not find any cancer in the right breast and had figured that in order for it to have gotten there, it would have made it's way all through my body. That is what got me the stage 4 diagnosis. Now, we know that the lymph node was positive because there indeed was cancer on the right side. That is actually good to hear. Now, for another curve, 2 types of cancer were actually found in the tissue from the left side, Lobular (which I knew about) and also Ductal. Last October, there were a few suspisious spots show up on my bone scan. These have never been biopsied to make sure that it indeed is cancer. I will be having them test it and also a bone marrow biopy. We do not have the receptor--er/pr (estogen) status or the her2neu-- back from the Ductul. As of now, we do not know for sure that it has actually spread, or if it has, which cancer it was that spread to the bone. The type as well as the receptor status will matter a bunch. They tailor your treatment around it. If there is indeed cancer in the bones and it turns out to be the ductal, with a receptor status of a triple negative (NOT positive for estrogen, meaning not fed by estrogen) and I would have listened to my oncologist at MDA last fall and just started out on hormone therapy, I would be in pretty bad shape right now. My intuition just told me I had to do the chemo, and the hardest regimine I could. Last February, the surgeon only wanted to biopsy the left breast. I also asked the opinion of my Oncologist at MDA as well as the Oncologist here in Coffeyville. They both said only do the left. My intuition told me otherwise and I was pretty adament that both need to be biopsied. Now, I think I should give credit to God here for intervening and guiding my ways this past year. I do believe that is where this intuition has cam from. I know what I need to do. I have always felt that way. I just KNOW.
Now I am not sure what my Doctors have to say about all of this yet. I think I will end up being a text book case for even MD Anderson. They couldn't believe I was misdiagnosed here for a year, yet I was UNdiagnosed there f0r almost a year. Interesting to say the least. I hope you have followed this weird unfolding of events. I know, had I not been the one living it, I probaly would be going "HUH??? WHAT?? I don't understand a word she said!" LOL. Hopefully we will be able to talk with my Oncologist this next week. I am just glad the SCT is still on. I think I will be in the best possible place I could be in to have it done (VERY VERY low tumor load). I do believe with all my heart that I AM THE HEALED. God said, "by His stripes I was healed". If I was healed, then, I am healed. Settled.

Thanks for hanging in there reading all of this! It is sure great to be home! The kids really missed us, as we did them. We added Raisa to our cell phone plan and got her her own Razor with unlimited texting. That was nice for both her and us. She was able to call me or text me any time that she wanted. I think she liked that feeling of being in touch with us at any point. It made it a little easier. We are going to bring them to Houston at some point during our stay there. I just can't go that long without seeing them. I need my hugs and snugglebugs!
~Kasey

EDITED TO ADD: Ok, I am a doofus. I never read the previous blogs from Kevin and didn't even see that he had already posted about the CTC and the SCT. He explained that part a whole lot better than I did HAHA! I should have just had him write this blog to! If any of you have any questions, feel free to post them and I will answer them!