Let's Start At the Very Beginning.....A Very Good Place to Start

The first week of January 2013, I heard something tell me, 'there are going to be some things happen to you in the next little while, but everything will be ok'. Well I knew who I heard that from, it was the Holy Ghost, the comforter, that is given to everyone. So I thought OK and went on about my life. Never in a million years did I think that one of these 'THINGS' would be a diagnosis of Breast Cancer. I thought other things that happened to me in January were the possibilities, such as breaking my two teeth, my dog Zooey chewing my glasses (frames and lenses), a bad cold, ingrown toenail (sorry to put that in here but HELLO, it hurt), a cataract that has grown very big in my left eye. Wouldn't you call that some 'THINGS' to get through? Needless to say this has thrown me for a loop.

The first part of February, I felt a hard lump on my left breast, and didn't think that was too normal, so while, I already had a OB/GYN appointment, I called and told them about this. They scheduled the next Mammogram appointment available on February 13. I went to LDS hospital and had the mammogram. Afterward, Doris, said, I am going to show these to a radiologist, and if they need more pictures, we'll do some more, or they will come get you for the Ultrasound. So she sits me in a room, I am beginning to think, they see what I see and feel, and a few minutes later the Sonographer comes and gets me and we go do the Ultrasound. Then she goes and gets a Radiologist. Dr. Peterson and he looks at everything and says, we can see what you are feeling and because of the hardness of this lump, I suggest you go and get a biopsy. So I get a biopsy scheduled for the next available time, the next Wednesday, February 20. Everyone there was SOO nice and comforting.

This time I go to IMC Breast Center and I have the Biopsy. Everyone there was no nice. The Dr. that did the biopsy, Dr. Green, was so, so nice. She said when she looked at the mammogram, she didn't see anything, and wondered why I was there ( good, I thought, it is small), but now that I see it and feel the hardness, I know why you are here. After the biopsy, she suggested that I set up an appointment for an MRI, and a surgical consultation because if it comes back bad news, things are set in place; and if it good news we just cancel everything. (OK, I think) I come out of the biopsy with an icepack under my left arm and tell Keith that I was packing, not heat, but ice. (OK, I thought that was funny). Buster my 3 year old nephew was so excited later that day that you could go to the doctors and they would give you an ice pack. It doesn't take much for a 3 year old.

So,  I meet with the Breast Center coordinator and we look through a whole possibilities of Doctors, then we see who is on our insurance, and pick one. We set the MRI up for Monday, February 25, and the surgical consultation on Tuesday, February 26th, and I would get the results on Friday.  This is all happening so fast, and I begin to get a bit overwhelmed, I look at Keith with huge eyes and take a deep breath. One minute at a time, one minute at a time.

Friday comes and I am a little nervous. I seriously thought that it would have to be taken out, but nothing else. Keith calls me at 11:30 a.m. and says should we call, we did. Kathy the receptionist says your results haven't come up yet. We are checking them every hour. About 12:30 Keith calls, there are some results up on myIHC.com, but I don't understand them. We call and they are at lunch. We call back at 1:10 and talk to a Doctor Parkinson. This guy was so bubbly and helpful. He says yes some of the results have come back, but the final word is not in yet, some tests have been done that are only done if it is malignant. I will say right now that it is malignant, and we will call you back with the final in about 15 to 20 minutes. True to his word, Doctor Parkinson calls back and says that I have a malignant tumor. It is less than 3/4 of an inch long. Honestly, I heard everything he said, but didn't understand it. He got done, I called Keith and said, will you please call him back because I did not really understand what he said. He did. Diagnosis

Malignant Tumor

Invasive carcinoma with mixed ductal and lobular features

1.8 cm in size >>> less than 3/4 of an inch in size --- size of a marble

ER/PR Positive >>> that is good because they think they can treat it using hormone therapies

HER 2+

 

Do you see why I only understood Malignant Tumor??????