42!

The biggest surprise of today's multi-doc appointment: I actually had 42 lymph nodes removed!!! Only 1 had cancer in it, though. Apparently my body is an over-achiever in the lymph node department, as the average number of pit nodes hovers around 25. I've got more. Or I did. None now, which helps me understand the rather slow recovery and the weird tingly feelings I have in my upper arm. And maybe, someday, my armpit will have feelings again. TMI? I just wish my body would choose to over-achieve in something slightly more attractive, like six-pack abs, or an amazing singing voice...

It's no surprise that I will be having chemo, radiation and hormone therapy. I am signing up to be part of a clinical study that might change my treatment somewhat, and put a short, intense course of radiation before chemo, but I won't know that for a few weeks. My next focus will be doc appointments getting me ready for the study: xrays, ct scans, blood draws, etc. Nothing big, but all headed me down the road to the goal: No More Cancer, Ever.

Oh, and the tumor margins were good, but this stuff acts in bizarre ways, and can send off little arms here and there; hence the reason for the chemo. If cancer IS anywhere else in my body it's gonna get nuked. I'm calling in the big guns and declaring war. The 42 lymph nodes are just the first casualties.