Happy New Year - 2012!!!

Happy 2012 to you all!  It's been a really good 2011 and looking to have an even better 2012.  I've been off since the Thursday before Christmas and it's back to work tomorrow.  I've had such a nice time off - really didn't do much except get a lot of rest and relaxation.  


We did have a bit of sadness this Christmas.  Clint's cousin, Sherilyn and her husband lost their 10 month old daughter Samantha on Christmas Day.  Samantha was born with Trisomy 18.  Sherilyn and her husband knew about Samantha's condition in the early months of her pregnancy and made the decision to not have an abortion and carry Samantha to term.  The celebration service for her was New Year's Eve.  I have to say that I left the service inspired by Samantha and her family.  It's just amazing how so many people rallied around her in her 10 months of life and gave her so much love.  It was said that she probably lived a richer, fuller life in her short time than many people do in a whole lifetime.  I was just amazed at the courage, strength, and faith of the family.  Samantha's life was not in vain...who knew that a 10 month old child could teach us all so much about what life is really about.  


I also have some news to share with all of you.  I am scheduled to see a liver surgeon at MD Anderson this Wednesday morning.  My oncologists, Dr. Litton and Dr. Wheler want to see if I'm a candidate for a liver resection.  You may be wondering, "What's a liver resection?"  Basically it is a surgery where they can remove up to 75% of my liver.  The liver will then regenerate itself over the next few weeks.  It's a brutal surgery and I would be in the hospital 5-7 days with a few weeks at home recovering.  They don't do this surgery all the time, you have to be the right patient.  Mets have to be limited to just the liver, limited number of lesions, and small in size.  The good news is that this is a chance to take out all the visible cancer in my liver and be NED which is "no evidence of disease".  Again, as I have stated before, metastatic breast cancer is considered uncurable so even if I have a successful surgery I would still be on Afinitor and Arimidex after my surgery indefinitely.  I will find out more details this Wednesday at my appointment.  I know I wouldn't have the surgery until mid February since both oncologists want to wait until after my next round of CT scans which is February 13.  CRAZY!!!  This has all happened so fast so I guess its good I have a few weeks until the surgery would actually be done.  I'm just so grateful that I am being considered for the surgery...options are always good, right?


I just want to leave you all with a pic of me and Clint at dinner on NY Eve!  We appreciate all of your prayers, words of encouragement and friendship over the years.  We wish you all a very happy and blessed 2012!