It is cancer
It is hard to believe that it has only been a week since I hear the words "the lump had cancer".
In July I saw my family doctor. The lump that we had been watching since about 2011 was really starting to hurt, every day I would have sharp almost like lightening pains shooting through it. A few days later, on a Thursday morning, I was at Free Port Hospital for a mammogram and ultrasound.
Friday morning I got a call that the radiologist recommended a surgical consult. Everything looked good, but as it had grown a little bit and I was experiencing pain, it was worth looking into.
Six weeks later, I was sitting in Dr. M's office and she said that all indications were that it was just a mass that was growing a bit. It was only 1.3 x 1.8 x .2.5 cm, just shy of the 3cm that she usually likes it to be, but again, as it was hurting she would remove it. She had a cancellation the next Thursday morning, so we booked it.
I had to have an ultrasound guided needle inserted, a tool that the surgeon uses to make sure that they are taking out the right thing and enough tissue around it. I commented that it had grown, as it was now measuring 1.8 x 2 x 2.5 cm.
Two weeks after surgery I went to Dr. M for a follow up. Everything was healing well (even if I wasn't processing the anesthesia very well and developed a strange hook hand that shook violently) but she didn't have the pathology report yet. She commented that it was odd because the hospital was good about getting things quickly, but they must have sent it to Hamilton for further tests. I booked to come back in 2 weeks and was told to call the office a few days before to make sure that the results were back.
On the Tuesday afternoon I call and they still didn't have the results, the secretary said she was going to do some searching but to keep my appointment for Thursday afternoon.
Thursday afternoon I was sitting in the office with Betts and Dr. M came in. She said that she called the pathologist the morning to talk about a different patient and they started talking about me. There was cancer in the mass. Very small, only 3.6mm. Everyone was surprised. There were no indications in the previous mammogram of anything. Cambridge tested it twice and then sent it to Hamilton who triple checked it.
There was cancer.
Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS), cancer in the milk duct in a contained sack. Dr. M said that she had taken good margins 1x4x5, it was out. I didn't have the cancer anymore, they removed it. Protocol is lumpectomy (which was done) and radiation. I was okay.
Radiation?!
Yesterday I went to the Grand River Cancer Centre to meet with the nurse and oncologist there. We discussed all sorts of things, radiation treatments, reactions, side effects, timelines and care. It was a lot of information to take in!
There has been so much unknown and uncertainty, that it was a relief to leave the Centre yesterday with a game plan. There are still some things to work out, but my control freak self was glad to have something to work with.
In the next week or so, I will have a CT scan and get tattooed - 3 little freckle sized dots used as markers. Then a week or so later I will start radiation. We're hoping to do mid afternoon, so I can work in the morning and go and rest afterwards. This will go on for about 21 sessions, 4 weeks plus 1 day. Monday - Friday (we get weekends off). They might decide to do smaller amounts of radiation over a longer period of time, but they'll decide that once they start.
I should be able to keep working, though I've been warned about the 'fatigue' the comes with radiation and the 'sunburn'. Those things make me a little nervous, well truthfully, full out scared. All of this on top of my seemingly constant migraines does cause some fear.
There are still a few unknowns, I may have to go in for more surgery if the margins were not large enough. While Dr. M did take good margins, the oncologist said that one was too small and she was going to talk to Dr. M about if it was possible to go deeper. That would have to be done before the CT scan (as things would change shape again) so I am really hoping that that doesn't need to happen. In our follow up visit, Dr. M said that it could be done, but it would be messier than what she was able to do this time (I joked with her if she could redo the scars from the reduction 2 years ago as her incision was much nicer).
Through it all, I am reminded of God's grace and kindness.
1. I am not waiting here for surgery to remove the cancer. That would have been unbearable.
2. It is all out.
3. It is not genetic. My sisters don't have to worry about getting this type of breast cancer just because I do. It is one that is more common in women who have never been pregnant or nursed.
4. Dr. M. did the surgery. She wasn't going to. Then she had a cancellation a week later. She was originally booking around this time. She said that this cancer is very aggressive and we were able to catch it very quickly (within a 7 week period) and if we had waited we would be having a very different discussion.
5. I have been taken care of very quickly. Within 3 weeks of diagnosis I will be starting radiation.
6. I have felt the love and prayers of the saints. I have been encouraged by others who have walked through the cancer walk and come out the other side.
I'm not sure what the next 6 weeks will have in store, but as I was reminded Psalm 61:2
In July I saw my family doctor. The lump that we had been watching since about 2011 was really starting to hurt, every day I would have sharp almost like lightening pains shooting through it. A few days later, on a Thursday morning, I was at Free Port Hospital for a mammogram and ultrasound.
Friday morning I got a call that the radiologist recommended a surgical consult. Everything looked good, but as it had grown a little bit and I was experiencing pain, it was worth looking into.
Six weeks later, I was sitting in Dr. M's office and she said that all indications were that it was just a mass that was growing a bit. It was only 1.3 x 1.8 x .2.5 cm, just shy of the 3cm that she usually likes it to be, but again, as it was hurting she would remove it. She had a cancellation the next Thursday morning, so we booked it.
I had to have an ultrasound guided needle inserted, a tool that the surgeon uses to make sure that they are taking out the right thing and enough tissue around it. I commented that it had grown, as it was now measuring 1.8 x 2 x 2.5 cm.
Two weeks after surgery I went to Dr. M for a follow up. Everything was healing well (even if I wasn't processing the anesthesia very well and developed a strange hook hand that shook violently) but she didn't have the pathology report yet. She commented that it was odd because the hospital was good about getting things quickly, but they must have sent it to Hamilton for further tests. I booked to come back in 2 weeks and was told to call the office a few days before to make sure that the results were back.
On the Tuesday afternoon I call and they still didn't have the results, the secretary said she was going to do some searching but to keep my appointment for Thursday afternoon.
Thursday afternoon I was sitting in the office with Betts and Dr. M came in. She said that she called the pathologist the morning to talk about a different patient and they started talking about me. There was cancer in the mass. Very small, only 3.6mm. Everyone was surprised. There were no indications in the previous mammogram of anything. Cambridge tested it twice and then sent it to Hamilton who triple checked it.
There was cancer.
Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS), cancer in the milk duct in a contained sack. Dr. M said that she had taken good margins 1x4x5, it was out. I didn't have the cancer anymore, they removed it. Protocol is lumpectomy (which was done) and radiation. I was okay.
Radiation?!
Yesterday I went to the Grand River Cancer Centre to meet with the nurse and oncologist there. We discussed all sorts of things, radiation treatments, reactions, side effects, timelines and care. It was a lot of information to take in!
There has been so much unknown and uncertainty, that it was a relief to leave the Centre yesterday with a game plan. There are still some things to work out, but my control freak self was glad to have something to work with.
In the next week or so, I will have a CT scan and get tattooed - 3 little freckle sized dots used as markers. Then a week or so later I will start radiation. We're hoping to do mid afternoon, so I can work in the morning and go and rest afterwards. This will go on for about 21 sessions, 4 weeks plus 1 day. Monday - Friday (we get weekends off). They might decide to do smaller amounts of radiation over a longer period of time, but they'll decide that once they start.
I should be able to keep working, though I've been warned about the 'fatigue' the comes with radiation and the 'sunburn'. Those things make me a little nervous, well truthfully, full out scared. All of this on top of my seemingly constant migraines does cause some fear.
There are still a few unknowns, I may have to go in for more surgery if the margins were not large enough. While Dr. M did take good margins, the oncologist said that one was too small and she was going to talk to Dr. M about if it was possible to go deeper. That would have to be done before the CT scan (as things would change shape again) so I am really hoping that that doesn't need to happen. In our follow up visit, Dr. M said that it could be done, but it would be messier than what she was able to do this time (I joked with her if she could redo the scars from the reduction 2 years ago as her incision was much nicer).
Through it all, I am reminded of God's grace and kindness.
1. I am not waiting here for surgery to remove the cancer. That would have been unbearable.
2. It is all out.
3. It is not genetic. My sisters don't have to worry about getting this type of breast cancer just because I do. It is one that is more common in women who have never been pregnant or nursed.
4. Dr. M. did the surgery. She wasn't going to. Then she had a cancellation a week later. She was originally booking around this time. She said that this cancer is very aggressive and we were able to catch it very quickly (within a 7 week period) and if we had waited we would be having a very different discussion.
5. I have been taken care of very quickly. Within 3 weeks of diagnosis I will be starting radiation.
6. I have felt the love and prayers of the saints. I have been encouraged by others who have walked through the cancer walk and come out the other side.
I'm not sure what the next 6 weeks will have in store, but as I was reminded Psalm 61:2
"From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
when my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I".
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