NOW WHAT
The first two weeks were spent running tests to see what we were dealing with and the best way to tackle it.
During the MRI they injected dye that would highlight any other breast cancer the mammogram didn't pick up. The ladies were so nice, I didn't mind that it took four tries with the IV (ouch!). I was set up with some headphones for music and I tried to relax. While I laid there perfectly still, I thought I might start a tick-mark record of the number of times I was stuck with a needle through all of this. Then I decided that would be depressing and I didn't need any of that! During the rest of the 20-30 minutes I thought about how much my lip hurt being pressed against the foam pillow and into my teeth (I was laying on my stomach). I attempted to move my lip without being noticed. I'm sure I looked like someone wearing fake billy bob teeth.
More about breast MRI:
http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/mri/how_performed.jsp
When I met with Dr. Carlson the next day we were told nothing else showed up on the MRI so we would be ready to schedule a lumpectomy right away. That is if it weren't for the concerning family history he was reading on my new patient form.
While there was not a family history of breast cancer, the "C" monster had taken the lives of several women in my dad's life in the form of ovarian and uterine cancer. His grandmother was in her 20's, his mom was in her 30's, and sister was in her 40's.
I'm 40 years old, still young in breast cancer world, so I would need to be tested for the gene linked to breast and ovarian cancers, BRCA1 and BRCA2 to see if this was hereditary or just bad luck. There is only one lab in the country with the rights to run the test, so it would be two weeks before we would know anything! Ugh, the waiting was horrible.
More about breast cancer genetics:
http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/genetics.jsp
Why even test when you already know you have breast cancer? Well, the surgical solutions were VERY different. If I tested negative for the gene, it would be a lumpectomy. If I tested positive, it would be a double mastectomy and total hysterectomy.
I know there are many women out there that have not hesitated to have a mastectomy after breast cancer. Many of which do so even without a family history. They feel relieved to do it. I know this because like many people in the internet age, I was reading EVERYTHING! I migrated to forums and blogs and it looked like I was in the minority. My desire to hold on to something that had already betrayed me didn't make since. But then again, none of this makes any since, and I've already learned that there isn't a right way and a wrong way to think. I just need to focus on me and me was saying I was scared to death it would come back positive.
The first two weeks were spent running tests to see what we were dealing with and the best way to tackle it.
During the MRI they injected dye that would highlight any other breast cancer the mammogram didn't pick up. The ladies were so nice, I didn't mind that it took four tries with the IV (ouch!). I was set up with some headphones for music and I tried to relax. While I laid there perfectly still, I thought I might start a tick-mark record of the number of times I was stuck with a needle through all of this. Then I decided that would be depressing and I didn't need any of that! During the rest of the 20-30 minutes I thought about how much my lip hurt being pressed against the foam pillow and into my teeth (I was laying on my stomach). I attempted to move my lip without being noticed. I'm sure I looked like someone wearing fake billy bob teeth.
More about breast MRI:
http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/mri/how_performed.jsp
When I met with Dr. Carlson the next day we were told nothing else showed up on the MRI so we would be ready to schedule a lumpectomy right away. That is if it weren't for the concerning family history he was reading on my new patient form.
While there was not a family history of breast cancer, the "C" monster had taken the lives of several women in my dad's life in the form of ovarian and uterine cancer. His grandmother was in her 20's, his mom was in her 30's, and sister was in her 40's.
I'm 40 years old, still young in breast cancer world, so I would need to be tested for the gene linked to breast and ovarian cancers, BRCA1 and BRCA2 to see if this was hereditary or just bad luck. There is only one lab in the country with the rights to run the test, so it would be two weeks before we would know anything! Ugh, the waiting was horrible.
More about breast cancer genetics:
http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/genetics.jsp
Why even test when you already know you have breast cancer? Well, the surgical solutions were VERY different. If I tested negative for the gene, it would be a lumpectomy. If I tested positive, it would be a double mastectomy and total hysterectomy.
I know there are many women out there that have not hesitated to have a mastectomy after breast cancer. Many of which do so even without a family history. They feel relieved to do it. I know this because like many people in the internet age, I was reading EVERYTHING! I migrated to forums and blogs and it looked like I was in the minority. My desire to hold on to something that had already betrayed me didn't make since. But then again, none of this makes any since, and I've already learned that there isn't a right way and a wrong way to think. I just need to focus on me and me was saying I was scared to death it would come back positive.
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