# Looks like I get to keep Lefty! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 20, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017 "2008-05-20T20:19:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/1 "2008-05-20T20:19:36Z")
I had an appt with the oncologist today. It looks like the cancer is small enough to be treated with a lumpectomy, 5 days of radiation treatment, and if I need chemo it will be in pill form. I have an appointment with the other oncologist tomorrow, and next Thu with my surgeon, so I assume the surgery will be the week after that, but I don’t know yet. The radiation will be twice a day for five days, something called Brachial Radiation (I know I’m spelling that wrong.) It’s internal radiation as opposed to externally radiating the entire breast. I’m going to take that week off work…it’s just too much to get radiation, go to work, leave work early, drive and get more radiation…nah. I’ve got the vacation time. The other good news is the tumor is postive for hormones. Since healthy breast tissue normally produces estrogen and progesterone, the fact that my tumor is producing these hormones means it’s just a bit…confused. 😃 I feel so silly saying I have cancer. I feel fine, and it looks like the treatment and surgery will be fairly minor. So, caught early enough, this is just an inconvenience. Make sure you’ve had your mammograms, and for the men, make sure the women in your life have them! ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/2 "2008-05-20T20:23:27Z")
That’s wonderful news, **ivy**. Here’s hoping you breeze through it all! ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/3 "2008-05-20T20:30:47Z")
Yay, Lefty! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/4 "2008-05-20T20:41:19Z")
Great news! See? You’re going to beat this thing in no time. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/5 "2008-05-20T20:43:31Z")
I’m so glad to hear it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/6 "2008-05-20T21:00:51Z")
That’s fantastic news! It’s amazing to hear how much progress they’ve made in treating breast cancer in the last few years, though what’s even more amazing is how you’re sailing through this with such composure and aplomb. Go lefty (and **ivylass** ), go! ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/7 "2008-05-20T21:09:59Z")
**ivylass** , 😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂 Naw, there aren’t enough smilies in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/8 "2008-05-20T21:10:56Z")
Congrats **Ivylass**! Thanks for keeping us informed. Best thoughts that 50 years from now, you can say: “Yah, I had breast cancer once. But I beat it!” ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/9 "2008-05-20T21:15:34Z")
[QUOTE=Mahna Mahna] That’s fantastic news! It’s amazing to hear how much progress they’ve made in treating breast cancer in the last few years, though what’s even more amazing is how you’re sailing through this with such composure and aplomb. Go lefty (and **ivylass** ), go! [/QUOTE] I could handle everything except the mastectomy. That terrified me. But they don’t seem to do radical mastectomies anymore, and even doing them because of “pre-cancerous” regions seems to be a lot less frequent. They think they’re going to treat my “pre-cancerous” spot with chemo, which will be in a pill. That I take twice a day. Jeez, this is nothing! Can you really say you have cancer when it has such a small impact on your life? (Knock on wood, don’t whistle past the graveyard, I’m grateful they caught it early.) ---
**Author:** ![Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sticks_and_scones/32/16951_2.png) [@Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sticks_and_Scones)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/10 "2008-05-20T21:16:48Z")
Hooray for Lefty!!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/11 "2008-05-20T21:32:13Z")
Hurray! So good to hear the prognosis is good. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/12 "2008-05-20T22:16:02Z")
WooHoo!! That’s great news! ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/13 "2008-05-20T22:16:04Z")
That is good news indeed! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/14 "2008-05-20T22:39:57Z")
Is Lefty your favorite? Keep up the good fight! ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/15 "2008-05-20T22:40:33Z")
Woot! Good news! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/16 "2008-05-20T22:48:23Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] Is Lefty your favorite? Keep up the good fight! [/QUOTE] I’m partial to both of them. Do you have a favorite testicle? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/17 "2008-05-20T22:51:37Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] I’m partial to both of them. Do you have a favorite testicle? 😉 [/QUOTE] Touché. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/18 "2008-05-20T22:58:41Z")
Holy crap, I don’t know how I missed this news, but I’m glad to hear things are going to be okay. You’re one of my favorite posters and always dispense the best advice. My grandmother beat breast cancer about 20 years ago. Wishing you a speedy recovery like hers! ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/19 "2008-05-20T23:01:47Z")
W00t!!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Suse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Suse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suse)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017/20 "2008-05-20T23:05:35Z")
Wonderful news! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looks-like-i-get-to-keep-lefty/450017.md?page=2)