Update ~ Today's Doc Appointments

Mom & I went with Charlotte to two doctor appointments today at UCHealth Anschutz in Aurora.

The first appointment was with her plastic surgeon’s (Dr. Tae Chong) P.A. Joslyn. Joslyn said Charlotte’s skin looked great. The healing looked good. She was able to remove 1 of the 2 drains from the mastectomies, hopefully the 2nd one will be removed on Friday.

Then we went and saw Dr. Kounalakis, her Surgical Oncologist. She was able to remove the drain from the lymph site (under the left arm). Happy to have that one gone!

Dr. Kounalakis had lots of input regarding Charlotte’s pathology report. She said she wasn’t surprised by the diagnosis of lobular cancer (along with the ductal cancer). She also wasn’t surprised that there was live cancer still in the removed lymph nodes. And truly, the treatment path Charlotte is on is the same either way, and that the chemo was just one of the many treatments on this healing path. She said the fact that Charlotte’s cancer is estrogen sensitive is a very hopeful thing. Getting the hormone-suppressing monthly injections (Goserelin/Zoladex) and daily pills (Exemestane) is a hugely important part of her treatment - stopping the production of the estrogen & progesterone will stop other tumors from forming. Dr. Kounalakis says this version of breast cancer is one of the better to have, because the treatment path is clear and the prognosis is good. Charlotte goes in for her first monthly Goserelin/Zoladex shot on Thursday at the Memorial Hospital Infusion Center.

Charlotte also has her first appointment with Gynecological Oncologist Dr. Pikaart on Thursday. She is going to discuss with him the removal of her ovaries and is hopeful that will be happening sooner rather than later.

And once she’s healed from the double mastectomy & lymph removal she will start the 5 weeks of daily radiation at Memorial UCHealth in Colorado Springs.

Again - to everyone - thanks for, well, just everything! So much support!! 💖

Love, Lynn