Well, I was handed an early lump of coal this year, in the form of a breast cancer diagnosis (right breast) . I am going to put in some posts as things/treatment progress, in hopes that if someone else is out there, feeling alone, feeling overwhelmed.. that you know you are not alone. Yes, this is a road we have to walk alone, but we can walk with company, in the forms of friends and family, your health care team, and internet friends, support groups.  My husband Maurice has been super, he’s driven me to every scan, xray, mammogram, Dr’s visit. He’s been my rock, and I hope that everyone going through this has someone like him, that they can lean on. He gives me strength. My friend Maggie came with me for a gyne surgery I had to have, and has also been there. Other friends have reached out to me now that I’ve gotten this diagnosis and it really warms my heart. 🙂

Well this has all happened quickly. I went for my yearly mammogram, and I’d put it off for a few months, getting my reminder letters in the mail. I’ve had other issues I’ve been dealing with lately and thought, what the heck, may as well get this done as I’ve been going to ultrasounds, Drs etc.. so booked my mammogram, which I had mid December 2010

About me: 53, female,  never had kids, early menarche (10yrs old) , never breastfed, obesity, post menopausal – those are the things that have put me higher risk for the breast cancer..

I got a call from Surrey Memorial Hospital Radiology department, letting me know I had been booked for a more focused mammogram, with an Ultrasound (and I figured maybe a biopsy) Dec 15th. So, on the 15th, I took some pain meds in case they did do the biopsy. They did the mammo, and the tech said they always wanted to do an Ultrasound. I could see the “highly suspicious mass” in question on the ultrasound screen and it looked and felt ‘wrong”… like it did not belong, and wasn’t healthy looking. It was not big — only  8x7x6 mm and it had some spiky (spiculated) edges so looked like a little minesweeper, like in the game. It looked black and dense. It was a bomb alright.  It is 8 cm from nipple in right upper outer quadrant (the most common spot for breast cancer) at about the 10 o’clock position.

The tech went and spoke to the Radiologist, who advised her that he wanted to biopsy it, based on what was seen on the mammogram/Ultrasound.  He came in and we talked. I asked him What were the risks of malignant seeding by doing the biopsy?  What I wondered was, in plain English, would the act of doing the biopsy, of sticking a needle in the mass and then pulling it out through healthy tissue, cause cells to be deposited along the tract thereby spreading it?  He said that in some cancers, it has found to be the case, but not with breast cancers. My surgeon told me the same thing when I saw her.

So the breast biopsy was no big deal. He told me that he was going to put a nick in the side of my breast, and use that area to insert the needle and use the ultrasound to guide the needle to the mass. I did not feel the needle even go in, and it did not hurt at all. I know others have found it uncomfortable, but I can’t say that I did at all. He showed me the “gun” they use to probe the mass and collect a sample… it’s like a smaller needle that shoots out from the main needle, grabs the biopsy sample and then pulls it back into the needle. It was cool to watch.  The radiologist showed me the “gun” they use and warned that when he pulls it, people tend to flinch, mostly because fo the noise it makes. I told him that I would not, that I was relaxed and that that I wouldn’t move. And I didn’t. He told me that he has never seen anyone sail through it, that most people just can sit for 1-2 samples… and often it’s not enough of a sample, so they end up having to come back to have it done again. He took 5 samples from me, 2 of which he called “slam dunks!” and showed me, we watched the needle shoot out into the center of the mass. Fun stuff. 🙂 I told him he could keep going and take it out sliver by sliver if he wanted to lol lol . He told me I go on record as being THE calmest person he has ever seen have a breast biopsy. A badge of honour of sorts 🙂

Then it was a hurry up and wait. I had an appointment to see my family Dr on Dec 21st, as she knew I was having the mammo, and a pelvic US done (unrelated to the CA) and wanted to discuss my results. Did I mention that my family Dr is Fabulous? Her name is Dr Louise Low and she works out of Surrey BC. She is just awesome and always answers my questions, listens to my suggestions or concerns.

I saw her on Dec 21st and got the news. She had my path report and it shows “invasive adenocarcinoma”.  I was expecting it. It was not big enough that I could feel it (it’s a bit bigger than a pea) but because of having alot of cysts in my breasts, it makes it hard to feel new lumps.  Anyways she told me that she had gotten a recommendation from radiologist and would send me to Dr Janzen, a surgeon in Surrey BC , who specializes in Breast issues. I got in to see her Dec 23rd, so that tells you something when you can get in to see a surgeon in 2 days. Can’t be a good thing in that you know it’s serious, but it was a good thing, in that things are moving fast. I like that. I like that a lot.

I met with the surgeon on Dec 23rd. We discussed the options that are open to me. So my choices were basically a lumpectomy/sentinel lymph node biopsy/radiation   or  a mastectomy (which they can reconstruct the breast at the same time, but it might take longer to get in, as they would need to coordinate with plastic surgeon..)  After doing the breast exam on me, she confirmed that there was no way that I would have been able to feel it on a manual exam. That made me feel better. The surgeon gave me a packet of information that breast cancer patients get. Included in it is a book that is about 1.5 inches thick, and it’s about breast cancer and gives a lot of info to allow you to make the best decision for you. I have read the book. Being a nurse I knew a fair bit of it, but it was still well written and informative. I did learn some things 🙂 <– always a good thing.

My decision was to do the lumpectomy/sentinel node biopsy/radiation. The earliest I can get that is early January sometime. I don’t have a date yet for it.

Surgery: well I know I will be able to come home the same day, that I’ll have a drain in my armpit to drain fluids and that I’ll have a home care nurse coming to see me at home. I will have radiation but I don’t know when that will start or for how long I have to have it. I do know it’s daily once it starts.

Work has been great, very supportive. I am a nurse and have been x 30 years. I am lucky to have such a supportive place to work in, and my co workers and friends have been really great. 🙂

It’s not the Christmas gift I would have wanted. In the grand scheme of things though, I feel like it is a gift that it’s been caught early so that gives  me hope. It’s still small (as of last week), and yes it is infiltrating, but hopefully it has not spread to lymph yet. fingers crossed.

If you are reading this post and you’ve never met me, or don’t know me, then I welcome you to our blog and hope that by my posting what is happening to me as it happens, will help others to know what to expect, or how things happen, in what order etc. Please feel free to add comments if you want or if you have questions, I might be able to answer.

As for emotions I’m feeling. I am doing ok. I can’t worry about what if, etc, as I don’t have the facts. I will know more when the cancer is removed and tested and staged. Until then I don’t know really to what extent this cancer has spread, and I’m not going to waste any precious energy worrying about what I have no control over. Those of you who do know me, know this is how I have lived my life, and so I’ll continue to do that now. 🙂 I will do that, and I will fight!  And as my sister Cathy says ” we will get through this.”. And so we will. 🙂

Right now Dec 26th: I’m optimistic and hopeful and feeling very supported by my husband, family and friends and the medical community.