On August 31, 2009 I went to my local hospital for my first mamogram. I am 48 years old. Yes I had neglected the yearly mamagram rule. I had no family history, No cancers in my family at all that I knew of. It didnt really seem important. However thru the summer I had been feeling crappy. Run down, tired all the time my joints hurt, so I went for a physical and my dr ordered a mamagram and dexascan as part of the physical. I figured what the heck im not doing anything else.
It was not that bad, Im large chested a double D. It was not painful as everyone had told me it would be and was over in 20 minutes. Atleast I thought it was. The next day I got a phone call I needed to come back for additional pictures. No big deal I heard this happens all the time. No worries, I never even thought, I just figured they did it so fast they did it wrong. So on September 3,2009 I went back.
And thats when it did all seem to go wrong. They started out with the mamagram. Several different views. Finally I said "can I see what your looking at?" And amazingly she showed me. She said " this " and pointed to a round dark spot on what was my left breast. " I said " what the hell is that?" she said "well thats what were trying to find out the dr will come and talk to you" she took me to a chair and left me there. I texted my husband and told him "i think something is wrong". He has a very possitive attitude unlike me and responded accordingly with "dont worry" . A very nice lady doctor came out and said that I needed a ultrasound now. I followed her. Everything was starting to blurr. It wasnt long the doctor told me I would need a biopsy. The nice lady dr. schedule the biopsy for the 14th of September. It was a long 10 days. I still didnt believe it could be possible.
The biopsy was a snap. Didnt hurt a bit!! The nice lady dr. is a pro with the biopsy gun. She joke and talked to me the whole time. She explained everything and although it scared me she assured me that the lump was small and if cancer she believed it was early and those were all good signs. Knowing next to nothing about cancer except that it kills you this meant alot to me. Maybe I will be ok. We were done and they would have the results the next day.
I recieved a call from my primary care physician around 2:00 the next day with a invitation to come to his office at 5:00 that day. I thought that was clever of him sence his office closed at 5 and he knew my husband got home from work at 3:30.I can still here his voice I dont think I heard anything after," you have infitrating ductal carcinoma". After that who knows, I dont even remember what happen that night.
the next day I was set up with an appointment to see an Oncologist and after that a surgeon. It was choices, decissions, and options. Mastectomy or Lumpectomy? Well for me Lumpectomy. There were mri, blood tests everyday it was something , or someone, information, read this read that, health history, fill out this , sign this. My phone rang non stop, sometimes i had the hospital calling my house phone and a dr calling my cell phone. it was crazy. They kept telling me " If i was going to have cancer i would have this one, its small contained and we caught it early" i just kept thinking does that make it better, less dangerous, less likely to come back? would someone tell me please? It was like I was hearing people say " this is a good cancer!
Laura, you've already learned so many coping skills as you've gone through this process. It is weird to hear a cancer called a "good cancer." No cancer is good, but it is true that most people with your kind of cancer caught as early as yours was will get well and live out their normal life span. This new test the doctor is talking about will tell how aggressive and fast-growing your cancer cells were. If they were very fast-growing, then it might make sense to do chemo to kill any cancer cells that have escaped from your breast.
Your doctors will check you out frequently to make sure the cancer hasn't come back. They will do that mainly by checking your blood, doing a physical exam, and paying attention to any symptoms you notice. If your blood work or the physical exam show problems, then your doctor may order more tests. Research studies have shown that usually by the time a cancer is big enough to show on a scan, it is causing symptoms the patient notices.
I hope your Onco-type test gives you good news, but if you do need chemo, I'm sure you will find the strength to get through the next part of your treatment.
Thank you for your comment. You really know how to explain it. Said that way it gives me a great comfort.I wish my dr. had explained it that way. In the last couple days I have felt a lot of relief,maybe because I have been talking to people like you, therapists and (I am what I commonly refer to as a displaced Catholic) have been praying a lot. Thank you for helping me.
Laura, I'm going to tell you something you'll find hard to believe: There'll come a day when the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning isn't cancer. And then there'll come a day when you never think about cancer at all. Millions of women have survived cancer and gone on to lead healthy lives. With your 'good"diagnosis, I have every confidence you'll be one of them, and will be there for your family for a good long time. You can do this; you're stronger than you think. And you'll come out the other side, and be stronger still. From another "partially displaced" Catholic - God is holding you in the palm of his hand... PJH
Thank you so much I so look forward to that day.