Cancer

This has been a month.....

About a month ago I found a lump in my right breast. So, naturally I went to the DR to have it checked out. She found the lump also, and sent me in for a mammogram and ultrasound the next day. The day after that, I made an appointment to have an ultrasound-assisted biopsy the following week. Then came the waiting.......almost a week after the biospy the DR's office called and asked me to come in for the results of my biospy. The results must be bad since the DR could not share that with me over the phone. Lucky for me, diving the school bus, I have mornings off, so I hopped in the car. The DR told the lab results came back with 'ductal carcinoma in situ' ( mayoclinic.com/health/dcis/ds00983 ) also known as DCIS. I was in shock. This is not the news I was hoping for. CANCER. I have had a couple of other lumps removed in the last 12 years. Both of those were benign lumps and the DR's were not worried about them. I guess my luck had run out.

So, my DR made an appointment with a surgeon. Another long week of waiting. I did alot of reading and internet searching for info about DCIS. This is a Stage 0 cancer. If you are going to get cancer, this is the one to have. It has not spread, treatment is usually radiation after the lump is removed and sometimes Hormone blocking therapy. NO CHEMO.

The surgeon is great! My appointment was on Thursday Feb 4, she had already reserved a dat surgery time for me before the appointment. Friday Feb 5. WOW!! So I took most of Thursday with the Dr, Radiation Oncologist, pre-op admittance, blood work, x-rays.....etc. It was a long day.

The next morning George took me to the hospital by 730am, surgery was scheduled for 1130am. I had to have a mapping of my 'sentinel' lymph nodes, so that the DR would know where the incision would be and could easily find them. It is an amazing thing to go into the OR move from the gurney to the operating table, and within 30 seconds be asleep and "wake up" 2 hours later in the recovery room. And I'm not sure you can call it waking up! I felt so disoriented and groggy.

I ended up with 2 incisions, 1 near the site of the lump and 1 in my underarm for the lymph nodes. I have a total of about 6-7 inches of incisions and stitches.

The results from the lab about the lump and lymph nodes was very good! The cancer has not spread, the nodes are clear. The DR took out a 2.8 cm size lump.....that seems pretty big to me, but the DR said it was smaller than what it felt like.

In about a month, I will be starting radiation. Next week I have a followup with the surgeon and at that time will probably find out more about when I will start hormone blocking therapy.

My family has been great! George is taking great care of me. The kids are being very helpful and are actually getting along with each other (for the most part!!) Thanks!