... Just to let my precious AD family know that the results I have received from the surgeon today are the best they could possibly be: all 13 nodes extracted for testing - some very enlarged indeed - have tested negative for invasion by the now removed Grade 2 breast tumour.

That means that, in theory, all I have to do is to recover from surgery, have radiotherapy for about a month to "zap" the remaining breast tissue, then, if appropriate, subsequent hormone treatment to further reduce the potential of bodily recurrence.

I am breathing again, thanks to all your love, support, good wishes and mostly your prayers, which, however they are formed, have meant more to me and to my sense of well-being than you can ever know. The strange thing about life is that this fact is so true : to be going through these life-altering situations is often more difficult for those surrounding than it is for the person who is actually involved, who receives often unquantifiable and immeasurable treasure from the experience by comparison. This can certainly be said of me. And I am grateful.

True, had the diagnosis been a little different, I might now be hauling myself up by the bootstraps instead. But whatever; the fact remains that to have been the recipient of such measures of affection and concern that have been SO sincere is a special gift that I shall treasure always. I have indeed been given so much more than could ever have been taken away - now THAT is what life is about, perhaps! :))

Bless each and everyone of you who has ever given my predicament the least moment's thought; and hey ... even those who haven't - I don't care! You're all just great! :)) And for those who have sweated for me, I love you very much. For always.

NOW I'm blubbin...

>>:))<< XXXXOOOOOOXXXXXX Kate