May 29, 2009 Friday morning

I was awakened by a call from the surgeon at Stanford. During breast surgery, lymph nodes are taken to the hospital lab and analyzed in a swift manner. Then the specimens are sent to a far-off laboratory for more conscientious  examination to make sure there really aren't any cancer cells. Well, there were. More of the little lobular cells that are difficult to see under many circumstances appeared in the specimens.  The cells are from the right breast, so we can assume the left side will need only chemo and radiation, no lymph removal.  The right breast tumor was so large, a lot of cancer cells must have broken away and wormed their way into the lymph nodes. I hope the cells haven't gone any farther.

The surgeon suggested surgery on Monday, I agreed.