Fun with cancer! And other miserable happenings!
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cancer,
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I have breast cancer. No, really. I am 100% completely serious.
After the official diagnosis, I spent the first two weeks avoiding telling people during the occasional moment I wasn't at the doctor. During this time, I discovered that a) ignoring cancer doesn't make it go away and b) my mom is perfectly willing to nag me into telling people. Some people I've told myself, others have already heard second hand. Some people I haven't told at all because there are only so many times that I can relay my story. And so we come to my public announcement.
I'll start at the very beginning, back in The World Isn't Ending Land. My mom had breast cancer, so in late December, when I discovered a lump in my left breast, heretofore referred to as "the dumb boob," I was a bit worried. Mom said I should check with the doctor, just in case. With everything else going on, I didn't get there until late January, at which point my gynecologist said that it was most likely fibrous tissue. However, she sent me for an ultrasound, just in case.
A little over a week later, I found myself topless and gooey, with an ultrasound technician examining me. She confirmed that there was definitely something there, then left to get the radiologist. The radiologist did some image reading, some examining, and some poking. At this point I started worrying, but the panic didn't set in until she left the exam room to call my doctor for permission to do a mammogram and biopsy.
The mammogram came first and was merely uncomfortable. The core biopsy, well, that hurt like hell. Even the anesthetic injection was incredibly unpleasant. After that, the lymph node biopsy seemed like a gentle massage.
What was supposed to have been a half hour imagining appointment turned into a 3.5 hour marathon in the part of the building without cell reception. Let's just say that more than one person was wondering what happened to me. But I survived! And somehow I managed to drive home, an act made even more miraculous by the fact that my car is a stick shift. Not to mention the icepack taped to the dumb boob. Per doctor's orders, I immediately flopped down on the couch and only got up for icepack-related activities.
The imaging and poking was done on a Wednesday. Someone in pathology was busy twiddling thumbs as my doctor called on Friday to say that she hadn't heard the results yet. Clearly someone was whipped into shape over the weekend, enabling my doctor to call early Monday morning with a Valentines Day present: cancer! Yay!
And then everything sucked.
After the official diagnosis, I spent the first two weeks avoiding telling people during the occasional moment I wasn't at the doctor. During this time, I discovered that a) ignoring cancer doesn't make it go away and b) my mom is perfectly willing to nag me into telling people. Some people I've told myself, others have already heard second hand. Some people I haven't told at all because there are only so many times that I can relay my story. And so we come to my public announcement.
I'll start at the very beginning, back in The World Isn't Ending Land. My mom had breast cancer, so in late December, when I discovered a lump in my left breast, heretofore referred to as "the dumb boob," I was a bit worried. Mom said I should check with the doctor, just in case. With everything else going on, I didn't get there until late January, at which point my gynecologist said that it was most likely fibrous tissue. However, she sent me for an ultrasound, just in case.
A little over a week later, I found myself topless and gooey, with an ultrasound technician examining me. She confirmed that there was definitely something there, then left to get the radiologist. The radiologist did some image reading, some examining, and some poking. At this point I started worrying, but the panic didn't set in until she left the exam room to call my doctor for permission to do a mammogram and biopsy.
The mammogram came first and was merely uncomfortable. The core biopsy, well, that hurt like hell. Even the anesthetic injection was incredibly unpleasant. After that, the lymph node biopsy seemed like a gentle massage.
What was supposed to have been a half hour imagining appointment turned into a 3.5 hour marathon in the part of the building without cell reception. Let's just say that more than one person was wondering what happened to me. But I survived! And somehow I managed to drive home, an act made even more miraculous by the fact that my car is a stick shift. Not to mention the icepack taped to the dumb boob. Per doctor's orders, I immediately flopped down on the couch and only got up for icepack-related activities.
The imaging and poking was done on a Wednesday. Someone in pathology was busy twiddling thumbs as my doctor called on Friday to say that she hadn't heard the results yet. Clearly someone was whipped into shape over the weekend, enabling my doctor to call early Monday morning with a Valentines Day present: cancer! Yay!
And then everything sucked.
9 comments:
Well shit. That said, we have a houseguest who, right this second, I can hear laughing with her husband, five years after her diagnosis.
Wow, Sharon... I'm sorry. My grandmother had it, too, which means it's also in my family. And I wouldn't even know what a lump felt like.
Stay strong.
My mom is eight years after her diagnosis. At this point I'm not worried about dying, and more concerned with the impending loss of my hair. :-/
It feels like something that wasn't there before and isn't right. From my mom's description, mine felt completely different from hers.
Remember, I nag because I care.
Everything doesn't suck, because you still rock.
Jesus, wtf. I'm so sorry. What happens now??
I heard about your diagnosis from BigScary. I am so sorry. I hope your doctors give you a good treatment course.
And - this is something the houseguest mentioned above - said about hair a long time ago - don't delay in collecting your hair to use for a wig. She regrets not doing it time. Her hair is growing back ...
I wish the best of luck.
A spiffy new post all about my hair is now available. Also, I think I'll regret it if I don't, which is reason enough to do so.
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