One minute at a time

Unknowing, my one minute at a time started in July when my coworker, Debbi, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer that metastasized to her brain. She died Labor Day weekend. In late September or early October, another coworker, Lisa, asked for prayer as she underwent a breast biopsy. At this time, I realized I needed to go have my own mammogram. My last mammogram was in California before we moved in 2009. On October 18, 2013, I went for my routine mammogram at SimonMed in San Tan Valley and left thinking I was done for year. Two weeks later, I received a letter telling me some calcifications were found and I needed a diagnostic mammogram and possible ultrasound. The letter also said most findings are benign. My internet ready mind was already Goggling breast calcifications and found most are benign. Not unexpected, but still upsetting, my dad went to Heaven on Nov 4, 2013. The routine for the diagnostic mammogram is to perform the mammogram and if anything shows, perform an ultrasound. This was my time at SimonMed in Gilbert on Nov 14, 2013. I really didn't except to need the ultrasound, but that was the route I needed to travel. The ultrasound showed the calcifications and also showed the remains of an old cyst. On to the biopsy; but still in denial. The biopsy was scheduled at SimonMed in Scottsdale on Nov. 20, 2013. As I was leaving the house, I got a call from SimonMed canceling the appointment because the facility had lost power. I explained that I needed to do this today because I had taken the day off from work. My appointment was changed to the SimonMed in Mesa (Greenfield). I went to the appointment still thinking all was fine. As I lay relaxed on the table, I could hear a woman crying in the next room. When the doctor came in, she said she was late because the other woman was upset that she would have cancer and miss seeing her grandchild growing. I told the doctor, I too, had grandchildren. The doctor said my spot was miniscule, and if it was cancer, it would be easy to fix. I was given an icepack for my bra, a list of instructions, and sent home. I was concerned about the lifting restriction because I was flying to California on Friday, Nov 22 for Emmalee’s first birthday party. I was told I could lift the suitcase, and the Lord provided the kids from GCU on my flight to lift my luggage for me. Everything is good, and on to California. That Friday started a busy season. Flying to California on Friday night for the birthday party then flying home on Sunday. I would be flying back to California the next Friday night, Nov 29 for my dad’s memorial service scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 30. This was Thanksgiving week, and when my boss heard about the memorial service, she let me have Friday off, so we changed our flight and flew into LA on Wednesday night. I returned to California with a new piece of information: on Tuesday, Nov. 26, I received a call telling me I had breast cancer. After returning from California the second time I met with my primary care physician and was told I had noninvasive DCIS in my right breast. December brought an appointment with my new oncologist and surgeon. My oncologist said it was a small area of cancer, so I should be having a lumpectomy. Radiation would cut the risk of a recurrence by 50%, and five years on Tamoxefin would cut the risk another 50%. He also said I would need an MRI to determine if there were other areas of concern. We set an appointment for the end of January when I would be fully healed from my procedure. I met the following day with my surgeon, Dr. Katherine Mc Cuaig. She scared me to death that first day. I went alone to the appointment which was a mistake. I was told about different types of cells and how they multiply. She explained about lumpectomies and the possible need for a mastectomy because multiple lumpectomies greatly disfigure the breast. We decided to schedule the MRI and surgery after Christmas because she was going out of town. The holiday time had me pondering which path would be better for me. I spoke with a friend of my sister who had a lumpectomy and radiation several years ago. Pam is doing great, but she said the radiation was little tiring. This helped with my decision. Chuck and I met with Dr. Mc Cuaig in January about the best choice for me. We decided lumpectomy with radiation. I would only be off work a few days, and I could leave early every day from work so I could have the seven weeks of radiation close to home. The final decision maker would be the result of the scheduled MRI because if anything else showed up, it would change to a mastectomy. The MRI did show another area of concern in the same breast. An MRI guided biopsy showed that this area was atypia cells that may progress to cancer at a future time. This sealed my decision to have a mastectomy because I didn’t want to be constantly worrying about this new area. Throughout this process, I got so tired of trying to juggle work and doctor appointments. Having radiation would have prolonged this situation. Some of my family disagreed with my decision, but ultimately, it was my decision to make. Because of all the time that passed, I rescheduled my oncologist appointment for March 20. On Thursday, February 6, 2014 began my before and after. Before I left that morning, I had a shower and washed my hair. (I didn’t know it would be over a month before I could take another shower without being encumbered by protecting incisions and drainage tubes) I also said goodbye to my right breast. I drove to the hospital with Chuck as the passenger and went inside when we arrived. The ends the before part of my journey. The after part will be another blog.