My post-op appointment was fast! I met with Dr. McAuliffe’s PA. The appointment would have been earlier but she was on vacation. She said I’m healing well. My next mammogram will be in February, and “then you’ll have a MRI every year for three years,” she said. I reminded her I can’t have a MRI. I don’t know if Dr. Brufsky will ask for anything else instead. In May 2024, I’ll meet with a nurse practitioner in Dr. McAuliffe’s office for a wellness check; they provide this service for three years.

My radiology pre-scan appointment was originally next week. I thought I started radiation right after, but discovered that it doesn’t start for a week to a week and a half after that appointment as the team has to meet and figure out the plan. So I got the appointment moved up to this afternoon. I’m already behind schedule and want to start radiation ASAP – so I’m done sooner, and posssssssibly by my birthday…

I wrote the above before my pre-scan appointment. Unfortunately, I won’t be done by my birthday. The doctor said I’ll get 20 sessions. Still, that’s better than the 30 many people get. The appointment was done in less than half an hour. They marked up my breasts, put stickers in certain spots, and I went in and out of the machine getting scanned. Then I got some very small permanent tattoos – just very small dots – to guide them for radiation positioning. An actual tattoo hurts more!

So now I wait for them to call me. Phase 3 is officially underway…