Thursday, April 30, 2009

Seriously?

Today I went back to the Breast Care Center for the biopsy. They did the ultrasound to locate the lump, then took a long hollow (thick) needle into the lump and took out small samples. My entire breast was dull, I didn't feel a thing. The only thing I felt was when they snapped the trigger of the needle, the ultrasound goo was splashing me in the face! The doctor and the two nurses were laughing because I was laughing, they had never had anyone say anything about it before.
They were going to do what they called a "frozen sample" where they would send a sample or two to the lab, where they would get a preliminary diagnosis in about 20 minutes. While they did the biopsy, they put a small titanium marker on the lump so when the surgeon took it out, it would be easier to find the lump within all the tissue. So they, did another mammogram so they had the marker on a film. So, what is that now? 3 mammograms in 4 days... except it did start to hurt after they had just dug needles through my boob. Mom and I went to get a snack while we waited for the results of the frozen sample. When we got back to the clinic the doctor saw us in a small room where she told us that they weren't comfortable quite yet saying what it was. She said it was cause for concern, but it definitely needed to come out. The final report would be out in about three days, but today was already Thursday. The lady doctor said that knowing the lab doctor, she thought he would have it completed by Friday afternoon so I wouldn't have to wait the weekend. She asked then, when the best time of day was to call me with the results. She was also very reassuring that she would see me again to discuss the results or I would be able to meet with Dr. Volz again at his clinic.
Mom and I walked out of the clinic not saying a word. I walked outside the building and I just said, "Are you kidding me?" and she said, "Lets just get this over with. It's one thing that it needs to be removed, but it's a whole other issue if it's cancer." We sat in the car and just cried for a few minutes, fearing the worst.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Meeting the surgeon

Today was the first day I was going to meet the surgeon who was going to remove this mysterious lump. Dr. J said I'd really like him, because he was a lot like him. :) He set me up for an ultrasound-guided biopsy across the street at a Breast Care Center. So I went over there immediately, they were going to fit me in yet that morning if I had time to possibly wait a while as I was not a scheduled appt. Mom and I went over there, they did anther mammogram, this was was digital so they would be able to see the lump better. They were also able to do an ultrasound on the lump and the doctor came in and explained the my insurance company wouldn't approve the biopsy for that day. They said it was against their policy to approve a biopsy and an ultrasound on the same day, so I would need to come back tomorrow for the biopsy. Are you kidding me? So I immediately went back to work and got on the horn with our insurance rep, since I deal with her on issues for other people every day at work. They, of course, had no record that anyone had called in to get authorization for the procedure. So another day to wait...

Monday, April 27, 2009

Mammogram at 29??

So I was yet to really tell anyone about my appt on Monday except for the few people I came into contact with over the weekend, which didn't include my mother. I really didn't think much about it all weekend because the idea that I could have breast cancer was not in my plans nor even possible I thought.
Ok, the process isn't nearly as bad as everyone talks about. Yes, your boob is smashed in a vice for like 10 seconds, but that's it. They did the mammogram on both sides, paying special attention to the lump that I had felt. I was scheduled for the ultrasound after the mammogram. So I sat in the room wearing the short gown with the arms that were waaay too short for the lady who took the pictures to come tell me I could get dressed. When she returned to the room, she said "you don't need to have the ultrasound. The doctor just reviewed your films and whatever the lump is, it needs to come out." I couldn't believe what I was hearing! I instantly started crying because the thought that this could be something was a little more real. I was in total shock. The lady was very nice, she told me that the films would be sent to my family doctor who referred me immediately and to follow up with his office in the afternoon if I hadn't heard anything from him first. She asked me if I had a general surgeon that I preferred, which I didn't, so she gave me a couple names from a clinic in Dakota Dunes. She asked me if I was supposed to work today and I told her that I was, but I wasn't sure if I could given this news. She encouraged me to go, explaining that I would be missing more work for appts and the surgery that I was going to need. She was very sweet and I don't envy her job at all. I couldn't break that kind of news to anyone.
So I left the hospital, practically running out of there. I didn't really know what to do or where to go so I called my mom. I was hysterical on the phone the minute she answered and she knew something was wrong. I told her I had found the lump almost three weeks ago, had a mammogram just now and they told me it was abnormal and it needed to come out, so I was going to be having surgery! She was a little honked off at me that I hadn't told her to start, but I didn't think there was anything to tell! I didn't want to get anyone worked up over something that was nearly impossible in my mind.
I then called my sister and went home for a little bit to process some things in my head and hope that the redness and swelling from my face went away before I went back to work. That afternoon I called Dr. J's office and explained who I was and why I was calling. The nurse said she was transferring my call to the desk so she could look up my chart, I could her the tone of her voice change from 'business as usual' to a sadness, empathetic one. I knew at that point, something was very wrong. She set up my appt with the surgeon for two days later- happened to be at my mom's friend Kay's office where she works. Already hearing nothing but good things about this surgeon.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Let's start at the very beginning...

On April 6th I was relaxing in bed, tossing and turning, all the while fighting with the cami night top I was wearing. You know what I'm talking about, you roll over and all the goods fall out and it's quite uncomfortable...so I was adjusting to get myself all tucked back in when I felt a lump against my rib under my left arm, boob-ish area. After digging and pulling at it for a while I called Kim on her phone, who was in bed across the hall, she wasn't sleeping yet either :) I yelled for her a couple times but she must not have heard me. I was afraid that if I got up to show it to her, I wouldn't be able to find it again. She came in, felt it and agreed that I should probably have it looked at- mainly because it didn't hurt at all, which I had heard was not good. Being past due on my annual exam, I thought it wouldn't hurt for me to go see the doc.
When I called the doctor's office the next day, I wasn't able to get an appt until 4-20, which was 2 weeks away. That day came and went and I needed to reschedule my appt for that Friday.
I hadn't told the nurse when I made the appointment that I had felt the lump, I really didn't think it was a big deal. During the exam with Dr. J I mentioned to him that I had felt this lump about two weeks prior and it hadn't changed at all, and it didn't hurt. He thought it was a good idea for me to have a mammogram, but then changed his mind that an ultrasound would give a better idea of what it was, being dense breast tissue doesn't mammogram well. I kept waiting for the punch in the shoulder "It will be ok kid, nothing to worry about". So I was scheduled to come in to the hospital for an ultrasound on Monday. I left, still thining nothing of it and ran to get a few groceries when Dr J's office was calling- the radiologist decided they wanted to do a mammogram anyway, so I explained what Dr. J had mentioned that a mammogram wouldn't show much and that the ultrasound would be better- so they were gonna do what they wanted to do anyway. Sure, I'll have both I suppose!