Unexpected Surprises in July

Mary Jo and I want to thank all our friends and family for the love and support you have given us in the past few weeks since Mary Jo was diagnosised with breast cancer on July 13th. I am sorry for just getting back to you now with an update but it has been challenging to return all your calls and emails with all the doctor appointment and procedures. Mary Jo has been in good spirits and feels just fine except for her jaw. She has understandably been a little tense lately and has been grinding her teeth at night while sleeping and waking up to a sore jaw.

Mary Jo woke up in the middle of the night on July 4th, sat up in bed and put her hand on her right breast, for no reason, and detected a suspicious feeling harden area, barely a lump. We believe this was god telling her to notice this and take care of it now.

This is the latest. Cancer was confirmed after numerous diagnostic tests in the right breast and lymph node under the right arm. She has "alarming" spots that were detected last week by PET scan on the lymph nodes in a area near the trachea and lungs. These spots on the scan are of special concern because they would dramatically change the stage of her cancer if they prove to be malignant. She is scheduled to have a special procedure that will be performed at Abbout Northwestern on Wednesday morning to attempt to get a biopsy of the suspect tissues. We are praying that these spots are not malignant or best case just a false positive image on the scan which would not be unrealistic we are told. The plan right now is to determine as soon as possible if the spots near her lungs are cancerous. If they turn out to be benign, she will be immediately be scheduled for surgery. She will undergo a double mastectomy with reconstruction surgery at the same time. Followed up with chemotherapy. When she is well enough she will have a hysterectomy as she is BRCA2 positive. With Mary Jo's hereditary gene mutation, statically she was given a 84% chance of getting breast cancer by the age of 70 and a high chance of getting ovarian cancer as well. Mary Jo will be home recovering for several months after surgery before returning to work at Northwest/Delta.

I have learned more technical details about breast cancer in the past few weeks than I ever thought I would want to know in a lifetime. Doctors have made amazing strides in treatment and steps towards a cure in recent years. You can research for yourself to learn more details by clinking on the links below but ladies please know this. Mary Jo's detected a small "hard spot" by herself. It wasn't even a lump. Even today, her tumor is not detected on a mammogram. Don't count on a mammogram to find breast cancer.

http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/

http://www.breastcancer.org/


We know Mary Jo's cancer is called ILC - Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (detected by Ultrasound guided Needle biopsy)
Mary Jo is HER2 positive (Blood test)
Mary Jo also tests positive for the BRCA2 mutation (genic test from blood sample)
a suspect lymph node under her right arm tested positive for cancer (detected by ultrasound, PET scan and a FNA)
Please keep Mary Jo in your prayers.