12. Keep Calm and Carry On

The surgeon won't answer his phone and he doesn't return my calls.  I don't honestly know what that means.  Is this good news?  Bad news?  Is he still stewing because I wouldn't risk getting arrested to come back to Macedonia for my follow up?

His assistant DID send me the pathology results, however, and the field hospital here on base was kind enough to find someone who could translate Cyrillic Macedonian.  (His name is Mario, and although he's from Macedonia, like everyone else he's trapped by closed borders and unable to get back to his family)

The translation didn't really help me though - because it's completely written in doctor speak.  So today I spoke with Doctor Patel and Major Winstead up at the field hospital, who are going to send the translated report to Landstuhl's General Surgery team to get a consult on next steps.   That's what I was supposed to be getting from my surgeon here, but he's AWOL - and honestly, there could be very good reason in this time of craziness - so I'm not vilifying him at all.

They'll determine if I need to be scheduling chemo or hormone therapy, and they'll help me find a suitable place to do that here in Kosovo (Pristina American University Hospital).

Just to ease everyone's concerns, I'll tell you what I know - recognize that this is from lots of research and nothing is official until it comes from the doc.

1)  Officially confirmed as stage 2 by the pathology report - the cancer was found in the lymph nodes that they removed during surgery.  But not in massive amounts - this is good, I think.

2)  Invasive Lobular Cancer is usually chemo resistant, so it's not normal to need chemo unless the cancer has spread to other organs.  It is primarily treated by hormone therapy (a pill or an IV) - which has it's own set of fun side effects (bone pain, overwhelming muscle pain, blood clots) - but nothing that we can't deal with.

Truthfully I don't know much more today than I did yesterday or the day before, except that Dr Patel and MAJ Winstead looked me square in the eye and said, "Trust us.  We've got you.  We're going to make sure that you get whatever you need.  We're in this together."

Between the reassurance that I wasn't going to get lost in the Corona virus shuffle and the love and kindness that I've received on social media - I have to be honest, I'm feeling pretty good.  Very loved.  Very much willing to fight.  Very much missing everyone and looking forward to when the madness is over and I can start my "No More Cancer Tour" to give each and every one of you a big hug.  As in REAL human contact.  Thanks for being my tribe.  Much love to you all.