The above piece (one in a series of four), entitled 'Early Bird', addresses the conundrum typically faced when diagnosed with breast cancer (or any cancer) -- that being just how early our malignancies may, or may not, have been detected. It's a clear and simple fact in cancer prognosis that earlier is better. But how early is 'early' enough...? We all understand being diagnosed at Stage 0 is preferable to Stage 1, and Stage 1 preferable to Stage 2, and so on. In my own case, it appears my tumor was discovered before it had spread too terribly far (thankfully) -- yet not before its pesky malignant cells had indeed invaded, if only microscopically, one sole sentinel lymph node, automatically pushing me into the Stage 2 category, and catapulting me upon the medical path of aggressive chemotherapy/radiation treatment protocol.....

Now with it all behind me, and my current status what's known in the biz as 'NED' (No Evidence of Disease), I do believe and trust that the many decisions made regarding my treatment and care were the right ones. And yet, I will still probably always be questioning, in the back of my mind, whether my 'early'...was 'early enough'.