Chronology of Judy's Cancer

This is a lengthy entry, not for the faint of heart nor the short-of-time readers. But if you want a detailed description of our journey to date, read on.

7/27/09 Judy has a mammogram at Arrington Comprehensive Breast Center as part of her annual physical. The report mailed the next day read, “We are pleased to inform you that the results of your mammogram performed on 7/27/09, are normal. It is recommended that you have your next mammogram in 1 year.”
8/6/09 Judy has her annual exam by Dr. Michael Owen. During the course of the exam he felt a lump in her right breast. His first response was that it was probably a fatty tumor or cyst and should not be a problem. However, he didn’t want to be casual about it and referred her to a surgeon for follow up.
8/13/09 Judy meets with Dr. Beth Nichols of the S.W.A.T. group. Dr. Nichols wants further tests and a sonogram is scheduled.
Tuesday, 8/18/09 Judy and Jim arrive at the Joe Arrington Cancer Center at 2:00 for a sonogram. The nurse and sonogram technician prepare her for the sonogram. The doctor comes in to watch. The sonogram shows a mass and the doctor says the words we didn’t want to hear, “This is not a cyst. We’ve got to do a biopsy.” Within minutes, with consent forms signed, the doctor begins the biopsy. Jim gets to stay in the room and watch. He used a needle the length of a small football field and went deep. Judy was tough and returned to her office and worked until 8:00 P.M.
Friday, 8/21/09 It’s a day later than they said before we hear from the biopsy. Because the call didn’t come before noon, Judy surmised that the news would not be good and that the doctor would have to make the call. She was correct. We received the news around 2:30 and immediately met at the surgeon’s office. Dr. Nichols explained options and we opted for a lumpectomy. We hurriedly began the paperwork to get the procedure done Tuesday. We rushed to the pre-admitting office for Covenant and Judy got an EKG, X Ray, blood drawn and papers signed. The staff was turning out the lights as we left—we were the last people they saw that week. We cancelled our evening plans (helping Judy’s class—Cross His Line—feed the homeless at Mahon Library) and began to call family with the news. We felt like we’d had the wind knocked out of us.
8/22/09 Our 39th wedding anniversary. We don’t take anniversaries for granted this day. We end the day by going to the Ranching Heritage center as David and Kim Allison’s guests at a celebration of Charlie Goodnight’s life, poetry and music.
8/24/09 Dr. Brandon Gunn, our nephew and a radiologist with M.D. Anderson calls to inquire about the cancer. He assures us it’s treatable and that we don’t need to rush to surgery. We talk a long time and finally decide to proceed with the surgery. He assures us he’s ready to help us in any way possible.
8/25/09 Judy has a sentinel node biopsy and lumpectomy. Dr. Nickels informs Jim and Carolyn that the lymph nodes were clear—GREAT NEWS—but that she doesn’t think she got all the cancer. It had tentacles extending into the ducts. Judy was still bruised from the biopsy and Dr. Nickels was afraid to remove any more tissue, concerned that she might be cutting into the muscle.
8/25/09 Judy arrives in the room following time in recovery. Jim tells her the good news—lymph nodes clear—then the not-so-good news, “Dr. Nickels doesn’t think she got it all.” It’s an emotional moment—ecstatic that the lymph nodes were clear; deeply disappointed that some cancer might still remain. We wait for the pathology report.
8/27/09 The report comes back. They got it all! The report reads, “clear but narrow margin” on one area. We celebrate.
At some point Brandon came into the picture. We had several conversations with him about going to M.D. Anderson for a consult. When Judy had a follow-up appointment with Dr. Nickels it was decided she needed more surgery to create more margin. Conversations with M.D. Anderson confirmed the need for more surgery. In fact, MDA stated they would not see her until she had the surgery. We schedule surgery for a week later.
Brandon became Judy’s advocate at MDA and they agreed to see her prior to having surgery. We cancelled her Lubbock surgery to wait on MDA.
9/11/09 8 years ago death came from the skies in New York, D.C., and Shankstown, Penn. At 9:30 we received a call from MDA telling us to be in Houston Monday. Jim wondered, “Is this a call to life from the airwaves?” The scheduler from MDA tells Judy all the reports they need. We begin a mad rush to get all the reports—crazy because many medical offices close at noon on Fridays. We manage to get everything and Jim faxes over 40 pages of records to Houston. In addition, we hand carry x-rays and pathology slides. DECISION TIME: drive or fly? Because of all the uncertainty, we decide to drive. (Our friends think we’re nuts for driving.)
9/13/09 We leave Lubbock at 2:00 and drive in rain most of the day. Arrive Houston just before midnight—staying with Judy’s brother and his family.
9/14/09 Up at 6:15 to catch our ride. We ride with Brandon—Dr. Brandon Gunn—to MDA. He parks in doctor’s parking lot and escorts us to our building. Great new paradigm—chauffeured, escorted and introduced by a doctor.
M. D. Anderson is a massive complex. We check in and await the day’s events. Spacious, peaceful waiting room. 9:28 Judy’s name is called and we begin the M. D. Anderson experience. Today she has digital mammogram and sonogram. It takes most of the day.
9/15/09 We meet with the surgeon in the early afternoon, planning to drive home this evening. WRONG! Following a detailed meeting, we hustle across town to a satellite location where they do partial breast radiation. We meet with the radiologists to consider our options. A MRI is scheduled for Friday. We don’t want to wait until Friday.
9/16/09 We start calling at 6:30 A.M. to see if there’s been a cancellation for the MRI. At 7:20 we are told there’s a 9:00 spot available, but we have to check in by 8:30. Mad rush to dress and beat rush hour traffic. We check in at 8:25. The procedure takes most of the day. We decide we’ll drive home Thursday. WRONG! While Judy’s in the MRI, Brandon calls and asks if we’d stay another day to meet with the head of his department—the top radiologist at MDA—one of the top 10 in the world. Of course we’ll wait another day for this appointment.
9/17/09 We’re bracing ourselves for a long day—meeting with the radiologist at 2:00, then driving home late Thursday night. WRONG! Mid morning we get a call from the head of the imaging department saying they need us back Friday for a biopsy. They found a spot from the MRI and need to determine what it is.
Our appointment with the radiologist is amazing. What a gentle, kind man. He gives us details and assures us we’re going to be all right. He strongly suggests we have the second surgery and radiation at MDA. If we do chemo, we can do that in Lubbock.
9/18/09 We arrive at MDA at 6:30 A.M., hoping to get an early start home. WRONG! The perform a sonogram on Judy and attempt 3 biopsies. They can’t get what they want. They send her for an MRI. Still can’t pinpoint the node they saw Wednesday. Finally, at 12:30, they tell us she’ll have to come back Wednesday for a biopsy under MRI. Disappointing. We head home at 1:00 and drive 595 miles in 9 hours and 45 minutes.
9/22/09 Judy flies to Houston after work.
9/23/09 The biopsy under MRI. She flies home and we wait for news.
9/28/09 The call comes and the node is more cancer. Somehow the Lubbock tests and surgery missed this spot. It’s close to the where the other cancer was removed, but not in the area the Lubbock doctors were going to work on to increase margins. Would they have found it in Lubbock? We’ll never know. We do know they found it in Houston. Thank you God!
As Judy communicates with the Houston surgery team, they work on a surgery schedule. Judy is badly bruised. They decide to wait until October 26 for the surgery so she can heal some and the bruising diminish.
Today is October 7, and here’s the schedule—AS OF TODAY
October 22—Judy flies to Houston for pre-op appointment. One day trip. (Thank God for Southwest Airlines).
October 25—we fly to Houston.
October 26—early morning surgery.
October 28—we fly home and wait on her recovery.
November 12—back to Houston for post-op visit and consultation with the top radiologist to determine the course of post-op treatment.

SIDE NOTE: As I was writing, Andy Hines, our Aflac agent, called to tell us the claim we filed Friday on our cancer policy has been approved and a significant check will be coming very soon. One of the smartest decisions I’ve made (me being Jim) was to take out that Aflac cancer policy a few years ago. It’s going to help with this ordeal.