Learning I have cancer
This summer has proven to be very memorable for me. In early June, Dan and I went on a cruise to the western Caribbean. We had a great time and I never felt healthier. I remember snorkeling in the beautiful warm water and rejoicing over feeling so well and being thankful for being so healthy.
I knew that I had a lump in my left breast, but I normally have lumps and I regularly get them checked and they are always nothing to worry about so I didn't worry about this one either. This lump was large and very painful and it didn't feel like the "frozen pea" that I have always been told to watch out for. After we returned from the cruise, Dan encouraged me to go to the doctor and have him check the lump. I did so and he assured me it was not cancer, but suggested that I get an ultrasound to be sure. He said I didn't need a monogram since I had one only 9 months ago. The ultrasound showed there was something there, but the 2 technicians and a radiological concurred it was nothing to worry about. I was just told that if it changed, then I should go back to my doctor but if it remained the same, then I shouldn't worry about it. I told the technician that my doctor had also made an appointment for me with a local surgeon to get his opinion. I asked if I should keep that appointment, she assured me I should so I did.
I went to the surgeon early on Monday morning, June 28th. He examined the lump and said that usually he would do a needle biopsy, but he recommended we skip that and just remove the lump. He said we didn't need to do the biopsy since "it's not cancer" and he could spare me some unnecessary poking and prodding.
He did the surgery later that day and told me it was rather large, but not to worry about it because he was 90% sure it wasn't cancer. He said he would sent it to the pathologist just to be sure, but not to worry about it. Two days later when I came into his office to get the bandages changed he told me that the pathology report came back and that it was cancer. I was shocked, of course, since up until that time each person who had looked at it assured me it was benign. I figured that there must be some mistake. I am so healthy and feel great, but the doctor said there was no mistake. He said he went back and looked at the ultrasound from the previous week and said the cancer was there. He also looked at my September mammogram and that it wasn't there then. The pathology report said it was an aggressive form of cancer. The surgeon told me it was important for me to get a mastectomy immediately before it spread. He said the cancer was only at stage one, which means it is localized just in the breast. He wanted to schedule me for the surgery on Friday. I told him I wanted to get another opinion and that I would think about it.
Although I was shaken, I also had a peace. It 's hard to describe what I was feeling.
I knew that I had a lump in my left breast, but I normally have lumps and I regularly get them checked and they are always nothing to worry about so I didn't worry about this one either. This lump was large and very painful and it didn't feel like the "frozen pea" that I have always been told to watch out for. After we returned from the cruise, Dan encouraged me to go to the doctor and have him check the lump. I did so and he assured me it was not cancer, but suggested that I get an ultrasound to be sure. He said I didn't need a monogram since I had one only 9 months ago. The ultrasound showed there was something there, but the 2 technicians and a radiological concurred it was nothing to worry about. I was just told that if it changed, then I should go back to my doctor but if it remained the same, then I shouldn't worry about it. I told the technician that my doctor had also made an appointment for me with a local surgeon to get his opinion. I asked if I should keep that appointment, she assured me I should so I did.
I went to the surgeon early on Monday morning, June 28th. He examined the lump and said that usually he would do a needle biopsy, but he recommended we skip that and just remove the lump. He said we didn't need to do the biopsy since "it's not cancer" and he could spare me some unnecessary poking and prodding.
He did the surgery later that day and told me it was rather large, but not to worry about it because he was 90% sure it wasn't cancer. He said he would sent it to the pathologist just to be sure, but not to worry about it. Two days later when I came into his office to get the bandages changed he told me that the pathology report came back and that it was cancer. I was shocked, of course, since up until that time each person who had looked at it assured me it was benign. I figured that there must be some mistake. I am so healthy and feel great, but the doctor said there was no mistake. He said he went back and looked at the ultrasound from the previous week and said the cancer was there. He also looked at my September mammogram and that it wasn't there then. The pathology report said it was an aggressive form of cancer. The surgeon told me it was important for me to get a mastectomy immediately before it spread. He said the cancer was only at stage one, which means it is localized just in the breast. He wanted to schedule me for the surgery on Friday. I told him I wanted to get another opinion and that I would think about it.
Although I was shaken, I also had a peace. It 's hard to describe what I was feeling.
posted by karen @ 6:50 PM
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