I left off on my blog last week with my core biopsy. For those of you who have never had the joy (sarcasm intended) of having one of these - they actually aren't too bad. They drug up the area with a local put a small cut in your skin and 'shoot' this gun like thing that has small tubes in it for collecting tissue samples in it into the cut. Then they butterfly you, give you an ice pack and some ibuprofen and send you home. . . To wait. . . And Wait. . . And WAIT. . . for the results. The core biopsy took place on Monday and Thursday afternoon I got the official call. Cancer. Stage as yet unknown (further biopsies were scheduled) but it was DCIS, Ductal Carcinoma In Situ. The 'kindergarten' of all the breast cancers according to everything I had read and the most treatable. Wooohooo!
I will share with you at this point that all the books are right. When they call you about the cancer have a pencil and paper handy because you will hear nothing after the word 'Cancer'. Trust me on this one. Even though I knew what was coming my brain took a vacation. Fortunately my Doctor called me back just minutes after we spoke the first time - after I had gathered my thoughts - and this time I wrote everything down. 'The Book' (Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book) had warned me that most people do this but did I listen - nope.
Then came the hard part. Telling my extended family and my Mom. I have to tell you that I didn't cry at all when the doctor told me but telling my Mom was a whole different story. At that time my Mom was in her late 60's and very poor health. I didn't know what to say. I just started crying and upset her even more. Graceful was obviously never my middle name. Fortunately my Brother (who at that time lived with my Mom and took care of her) called me back and got the unblubbering straight story and calmed my Mom down. My In-laws were wonderful and hugely supportive. All Jeffery's siblings were too. I felt immensely loved.
My Sister-in-law, Debora, who had just lost her daughter, helped me through the next of my tests. God bless her for reaching out in her time of need and helping me. She kept saying I was helping her but truly she helped me enormously that day. (Love you Debora) She drove me to the Biopsy where they took a chunk (and I do mean a chunk) of the area where the cancer was for extensive testing. Again home with an ice pack and this time prescription pain pills (which I seriously needed for about 24 hours).
This time something odd happened - instead of days, it was weeks before the final results came in on the biopsy and I truly didn't find out why till months later. I will share more on that later but to continue on with the diagnosis change to Stage 1 Invasive Ductal Carsinoma, still good . . . next was surgery and a ton of decisions to make. Lumpectomy or Mastectomy. Reconstruction or inserts. Way too much on my plate :)
When I had seen the mammogram, back in January, I noted that there were white dots all over my left breast with a concentration where the cancer was at. I had asked the nurse what these were, thinking that these were the Doctor's markings, only to find out these were microcalcification which were sometimes (and I do mean sometimes) a warning that something bad is happening. I noted that even though most of the dots were right around the cancer that there were several that were spread through out my breast as well. So when they said you can have a lumpectomy I said nope - take it all - I don't want one of those little white dots to come back and haunt me later. So I opted for a Modified Radical Mastectomy. One of my Priesthood blessings (see my first blog on cancer for more on this) had stated that I could be confident in the council from the Doctors and Surgeons. So when I asked the surgeon (a female) what she would do if it were her she said 'I'd to the mastectomy and then have reconstruction'. Sounded good to me and it put a positive stamp on my decision.
Now for the reconstruction - there are a lot of ways to get your breast back. Some opt not to have the reconstruction done at all but since I was loosing one (which would make me lopsided) I opted for a Tram Flap reconstruction. Basically they take your tummy (which I had plenty of at that time) and use it to build the breast and you get a tummy tuck in the process. There is, of course, more involved that but that is just a simple explanation of what they do.
So in mid March, after a ton of prep, which included watching videos on breast reconstruction (don't have lunch first) and giving up my blood so they would have it if necessary. I went under the knife for 8 hours and came out with a new breast (way bigger than the other), my tummy strapped so tight that I could hardly breath and a smile. I had made it :) Wooohooo!
Next blog - healing, posting boards, UCSF and the tumor board. Link here :) Part 3 Enjoy!
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