Going through hell? Keep going!

Winston Churchill quotes are amazing, this is one of my favourites:

If you are going through hell, keep going.  It's a great reminder to put one foot in front of the other and keep.walking.just.keep.walking.

Today was a loaded day.  We moved out office from Royal Jubilee Hospital to Queen Alexandra Centre.  I'm going to miss the folks at Research and Capacity Building, when you work with awesome people, the place is going to expand and movement is a necessity. I just didn't want it to be so far away.

It's also the day that I met my new medical oncologist.  I was really fine all day, but when Kent and  I pulled into the front of the BC Cancer Agency, (Vancouver Island Centre), I started to cry...just a little.

You see, I can go there for a meeting, without a problem.  I can go to the little cafeteria for lunch or a great latte, without a problem.  When I approach the building as a patient, I have a very different reaction. I pulled myself together and headed in.

I had a great appointment with a new physician.  He was compassionate, answered all my questions, did a examination and gave us a great outline for treatment.  And in a gross situation, he gave us the greatest news.

I won't need chemotherapy.  Can I hear a woot-woot?

Because I have chosen to have the mastectomy, I won't need radiation therapy.  If I had chosen a smaller surgery, I'd need the radiation.

I will be on Tamoxifen for 5-10 years (research is changing on the time frame...he's waiting for another publication, should be landing on his desk in about 2-3 months).

The other things we discussed, I am going to be a part of a research project.  I am going to be doing the genetic testing and I will be talking with some people in the hereditary cancer program in Vancouver.  All of which probably won't help me much at all, but will be a great asset to future generations.

This is exactly what I have been praying for.  No chemo.  That's exactly what I've gotten!

The plan for this week, I'll get my prescription for Tamoxifen, I'll have a follow up with the medical oncologist for after my next surgery ~4 months from now.  I will check with the surgeons (general and plastics) about the surgery date...and I did a happy dance on my way to the car.

So through this process, it's just one step in front of the other.  Keep walking through hell, until it's all  behind me.