Better Explanation of Treatment Plan

I'm one of those cool people now...I am at Panera eating a pastry and typing on my...actually borrowed...laptop.  (Thanks again Lori M.!!!)

I know several of you are/were asking "Why chemo first?" and I wasn't very good at explaining why partly because I did not fully understand it myself.  I met with my surgeon today and she helped explain my treatment plan very well to the point that I can explain it more clearly to you now...hopefully.

There were various factors to why my doctors recommended chemo first:
Young
I wish that were true but this means that I am premenopausal.  The reason why I am having chemo is mostly because it is just part of the treatment plan but also because I am "young" and chemo will help to minimize long term risk of systemic disease (cancer in rest of body).

Heal Faster after Surgery
Since chemo will be completed, I am more than likely to heal faster after the mastectomy.

More Time for Decision Making
There are decisions that still need to be made:

Gene Counseling/Testing
Chemo first allows me the time to have genetic testing and make a final decision as to whether or not to take both breasts.  If it is positive, I will have both taken and then in the same surgery, I would have my ovaries taken as well.  This would allow fewer surgeries for me.  I am still leaning towards having both taken regardless because I like symmetry and it would be awkward for me to be lopsided.

Reconstruction
I have more time to research and decide whether or not to have reconstructive surgery.  If I decide to, then during the mastectomy surgery, implants would be placed under my pectoral muscles to expand the muscle and skin over time.  Supposedly the expansion process may take two or three years to complete.  This process would not start until after healing from the radiation treatments.

I think I have fully explained it...but now I am sure you have more and different questions, so feel free to ask.

Take care!!