Different kind of posts than usual - Breast Cancer Blogging
Normally my blogs are about golf, motorcycle trips, the occasional random post, recipe. The next ones are going to be different, but I feel that sharing isn’t a bad thing. You can ignore, skim, whatever, but it may help someone. I won’t get terribly technical, because that’s not me. And, these are all post surgery, but not post full recovery. Just finally getting on blogger.
In early October 2021, I found a lump on my right breast. Big
enough that I even asked Tony to feel it a couple of days after I found it (I
stressed quite a bit in those two days). Yep, it wasn’t my imagination. My last
mammogram experience didn’t amount to anything – but I went through the awful
Parkland system and never heard anything from them so maybe it had been around
for a while.
Because I was not going back to Parkland, we enlisted
friends and family in finding a new Ob Gyn. And then, due to COVID-19, I couldn’t
get an appointment until December. Appointment made and I went about my life –
work, another motorcycle trip to Tennessee and North Carolina, work, golf. Tony
told a few, including Eileen, his stepmom – who underwent a double mastectomy (non-cancer
related) – and no, she didn’t ask to feel my boobs when we were in Tennessee
(Tony and I joked about that).
November comes and my December appointment moves out another
week. Finally, appointment time. I point out that I noticed a lump. She felt it
– and a couple of others as well. This moves from just a regular FREE
preventative mammogram to a diagnostic mammogram (read: one that comes out of
pocket/deductible and you pay for it – healthcare system sucks). Cost: around
$800.
A couple of days before my mammogram, my car battery is
having issues. We charge it. The morning of, Tony asks me to stop by and get
him chocolate milk before I go. I give “a look” and don’t go. Tony’s under a
lot of stress, so understandable, but I just didn’t want to leave, get milk,
come back, and then leave for this procedure in Tony’s truck (with big boobs,
mammograms aren’t as bad I hear). Off I go. Early, of course, as usual. Fill
out more paperwork (damn, there is a lot of paperwork – all pretty much the
same – and a lot of questions – all pretty much the same). And off I go. The
robes are
"lovely." I think her name was Kimberly who did the mammogram, and she
was nice. The boob stickers won't stay on.
But, I knew something wasn’t quite right – they can’t tell
you anything – when they then moved me to get an ultrasound (sonogram –
whatever—the stuff with the cold gel stuff). And now I can’t remember her name,
but for 30 minutes, I spent time on my back with a “mouse” going over my boobs.
Seems to take forever – especially as she clicked through and wrote things down
the entire time.
MEANWHILE – ALL OF THIS IS WHILE WEARING A MASK. DOUBLE
SUCKNESS.
I figured that would be it and I’d wait for more
information. No. Got to wait on Dr. Bentley, the radiologist who looks at the
mammogram and ultrasound results. Hands me a Kleenex because I may have
something in my eyes (uh oh, not good news). She says she’s 97% sure that I
have cancer in my right breast and it’s not small. But, pretty sure that the
lump in my left breast is benign. I get to see stuff on a screen (I’m not big
on too much info, but the right breast looked “bright and sparkly and star like”
and not “good” while the left breast just had a square lump. Dr. Bentley also
sends me away with a page of Breast Doctors to look into. And schedules
biopsies for the next week (pretty quick). We decide to do both breasts even
though the right seems to be the only problem one.
I have Tony’s truck (and I don't like to drive it) and call and ask if he needs it or if I
can run to the grocery store before heading home. He’s angry because he didn’t
think a radiologist should have told me that info – I don’t know who/what/when
– I’m just pretty sure she’s right (the lump was NOT small and the pictures were really what I thought -- telling). But understand his
anger – not very bedside manner when by yourself for this talk. I'm just new to all of this.
NOTE: I HAVEN’T TOLD ANYONE EXCEPT TONY – AND ARTHUR AND ARLO – ABOUT WHAT I’M HAVING TEST WISE. NO FAMILY, FRIENDS. THAT’S HOW I AM AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN.
Also, I am not over googling all of this. We'll just go with the flow. I did a little, but was overwhelmed with the info and the terminology -- and I didn't even know how to spell mastectomy until this year (and I'm a good speller!).
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