The Roller Coaster Begins

Actual post of 7/29/2010

Oh guys. I know this upsets your apple carts too. Few of us have met in person but we have shared so much in our lives. I am fine with anyone sharing this with prayer partners or women’s groups. I think it hits close to home for everyone with breasts.

For what it's worth...I had no idea there was any issue with the boobs. I do self-breast exams nearly every shower. The radiologist said without the mammogram I would not have felt this tumor for at least two more years. This tumor is tiny. Only supposed to be 1 cm, but it's pumping out poison. By the time I knew there was a lump...ca could have been all around the body. It scares me that people will now wait till they are 50 because of the new guidelines. This mammy, though it took the wind out of me...allows me to get this treated before it is seeded throughout the body. 

I'm having a pelvic ultrasound tomorrow. That one scares me. I was supposed to have gotten it done in May but the hospital says they never got the order. With all the hormonal fluctuation I have had...I had worried about this test more than the mammogram.  They called this morning and KJ told me...we need to know if there are any ovarian issues before talking to the surgeon. *gulp* He's right. But IF I had breast AND ovarian ca...Just pour me into a rubber room.

Several people have texted today and offered to drive me to appointments or our weekend nurse - Janet has offered to leave us her truck for weeks if I have clusters of appointments. 

I'm stocking up in ice bags for post op...I used the one from the biopsy for 36 hours. So I know how well that helped. We will be working to get the house all cleaned up this weekend. I came home from moms, it wasn't filthy...but it was cluttered. And days of in and out, it looks like a laundry and paper bomb went off in it. Have you ever questioned...if I died in an accident today what would people find in my house? blech not a pretty sight. Not that I'm applying that here...I just look around when leaving sometimes and hope I get back to pull that dirty underwear off the ceiling fan.

Ran out of words...but I'm back. The surgeon's visit is Monday at 10 am. This is a 'new for me' doctor. My old surgeon doesn't "do" breasts anymore but said he would do my surgery because I'm a former patient. His first appointment wasn't until the 19th of next month and no way could we wait till then. KJ's mantra is…get it out, get it out! So I opted for another surgeon and just took the one available. His name is Etters. I don't know anything about him. But his nurse, Mandy called me to get some information. She was amazing and very reassuring.

Got a call a little while ago that Dr. Etters wouldn't be available for my 3 pm appointment today. He just found out he had OR on call. So he told them to reschedule me first pick as "she is a young woman with new cancer so I know she's scared. Schedule her first over the returns." He may have just won my heart with that sentence. :) You know how everyone falls for their OB? I wonder if the same thing happens with a surgeon. I'm pretty certain my insurance will cover breast reconstruction but gotta let them fight it out.

Fighting Cancer is hard when 

you’re afraid you’re going to die.