I can't believe it has been 2 years since I wrote an A.Y.E. Life moves by so fast. As we quickly approach a new year, I must share with you about being consistent with your routine health check ups. In this case, I am speaking about mammograms. Since the age of 40 I have had a mammogram. I have even done Facebook Lives before and after a mammogram. I wanted to dispel the myth that mammograms are painful and take a long time to have done. Plus let's face it you do meet interesting people there whether they are staff or another patient.
I usually have all of my annual tests done around my birthday because it signals a new year. 2019 was no different. September came and I scheduled my mammogram and thought nothing of it like every other mammogram, I have had except for that one scare back in 2008 that turned out just fine. I expected the letter in the mail as usual saying your mammogram was fine, see you next year. After 5 days the paper did not come. What did come was a call saying that they wanted to repeat scans of my right breast. It didn't panic me because I went through this in 2008 just routine as far as I was concerned.
The day came to do the rescan and I was my normal upbeat self. I was going in and take the scans and they were going to tell me it was nothing and send me on my way. Unfortunately for me that is not what happened. I went in and had the scans and then the doctor came in and said they found calcifications and that they wanted to do a biopsy. In that moment I heard what he was saying but I had not processed anything. I just said ok and scheduled for the biopsy.
The day of the biopsy came and I was more frightened of the procedure than the results because I knew there was no history of breast cancer in my family. The doctor came in to sign the procedure form and asked if I had any questions and the only thing I had was whether the tag was toxic to the body. I tried to quiet all of the panic stricken voices in my head so that I could pay attention to everything happening during the procedure. The biopsy was about a hour from start to finish. I was told the results would be back in 2 days. I wasn't worried, I was good. That was Tuesday, December 3, 2019.
Wednesday, I did my normal routine of taking everyone where they had to go as usual. I missed a call. I thought it had something to do with one of the kids and I called it back. It was the mammogram place. The doctor wanted to talk with me. I was like oh my results are back already cool. I was waiting for him to get on the phone and tell me all was well. He got on the phone and told me that I have Ductal Carcinoma in Situ. I am familiar with the word carcinoma due to my mom and grandma. In this case it was now my turn. I didn't have lung cancer, I have breast cancer. What! No this is not possible. Right? He had to of called the wrong person. The doctor was so upbeat and positive because it was the "best" case of breast cancer to get because it is non -invasive. The next step was to talk to the surgeon. I hung up the phone and tears began to fall. I called my sisters to tell them the news and I said how arrogant I was to think I couldn't be diagnosed with cancer. Trinity was sitting by me as said "don't cry mommy." It was then I realized that I has to tell my husband and Regina. I became so consumed about how this was going to effect them that I didn't process the fact that I have breast cancer.
The time came to tell Chris and Regina. I just sat at the table and said that biopsy results came back. They both said ok what did they say. I said the doctor said that I have breast cancer but it is the best breast cancer to get if you have to get it. You know a good/bad thing. My appointment was scheduled with the surgeon on Thursday, December 5, 2019. Both Chris and Regina were with me and my mother in law was in attendance on the phone. The doctor gave all of the steps of the surgery and invited me to come to the interdisciplinary meeting on Friday to meet the radiologist and oncologist. We decided to take him up on this offer.
Thursday night picking up Chris from work, it finally hit me that I have breast cancer. I wasn't accompanying someone to an appointment. It was me. I cried so hard. It was much over due. Chris held my hand. I asked him to drive since I was still sore from the biopsy and passenger side seatbelt worked better for me. We got out and as we crossed he grabbed me and held me. I asked it he was ok. He said no. I said that makes two of us but we could be not ok together.
Friday, December 6, 2019, I was dragging my feet about going to the interdisciplinary team meeting. I didn't want to sit in a room and compare breast cancers in my head. I mean plus I am a public health educator, I know much about cancer. Chris, told me that there's always more to learn and he was right. I had so much more to learn especially about my treatment plan. Currently, my surgery is not scheduled but it is coming soon. After healing from the surgery, I will begin a 4 week course of radiation. Thankfully I don't have to have hormone replacement too.
None of this journey would have been possible had not I followed my own advice and had my annual mammogram. If you wish to know more about Ductal Carcinoma in Situ you can click the link below.
https://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/types/dcis
