So here I sit. I got diagnosed with breast cancer a few weeks ago. You can read about it here: Navigating Breast Cancer – Part 1. Currently I am sitting in my Doctor’s office awaiting my pathology report from surgery #1. It is 5 minutes before I walk in when my husband Bob surprises me and shows up. I am so blessed to have an awesome husband! He stands beside me in the good, the bad, and the ugly.
We go in and my Dr. says, “Well, it is not the best news.” He had taken out two sections in my first surgery and there were still cancer cells in the margins of the slide. His recommendations – another surgery with a deeper cut to remove all of the cancer. He said something that still haunts me, “DCIS is the cancer you CAN’T see – unless you look at it under the microscope. It doesn’t show up on any normal scans, or CT, or PET scans.”
Great, I have a cancer that is trying to hide out…Not my idea of a good time. We scheduled the surgery for the following week. At least this time it was at 8 am and I wouldn’t have to wait.
My second surgery was similar to the first. But this time he implanted a seroma drain under my arm. It was a long tube with a bulb on the end. I had to drain it 3 times a day and keep track of how many milliliters came out. Super gross in my experience. I don’t recommend it.
I missed a few Sundays at Church. My left arm was so painful, worse than the surgical incision on my breast. Plus truthfully, I was just sad and didn’t want to talk to anybody. Cancer does that to a person. I found myself doing diamond art projects to pass the time. I watched a lot of Netflix. I felt numb. I didn’t really want to deal with all this stuff. I was still in disbelief that it was cancer.
Two more weeks passed and I had to go back to the Dr. to remove the drain. The bandage popped and all this fluid started dripping down my arm. Super gross! I wish I would have known about this seroma stuff, I might have just skipped taking out the lymph nodes. But, I guess it was worth it – we found out that my lymph nodes were negative for cancer, but HR+. it was comforting to know my breast cancer hadn’t spread.
At this appointment my Dr. dropped the bomb, “ Have you heard from the Radiation Oncologist and Medical Oncologist yet?” My mind started racing thinking: What? Really? Are you freaking kidding me?
My questions were short and sweet. I felt like I was backed into a corner with no way out.
Me: “Why?”
Dr.: “We want to make sure the cancer doesn’t come back.”
Me: “When?”
Dr.: “Monday through Friday for a month.”
Me: “Where?”
Dr.” : Johnson Creek, WI (a town about an hour from my home)
Me: “Do I have to go?”
Dr.: “Well, If you were my friend, or sister, or co-worker I would recommend it. With radiation and hormone therapy it would reduce the chance of your breast cancer coming back by 70%.”
Me: (grumbling, screaming, disbelieving inside) “OK, I’ll go.”
Then another bomb. My Dr says I would see him yearly for 5 years. And then, and only then, would I join the group of breast cancer survivors…ugggh. 5 years? I want this to be freaking over!
When I got home I did what most of us do, I Googled it: “What if I have Stage 0 breast cancer and I don’t do radiation?”: Here is what I found – “DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) is considered stage 0 breast cancer, meaning the abnormal cells are already cancer but have not spread outside the milk ducts into surrounding breast tissue. If left untreated, these cells can eventually break through the duct wall and become an invasive, potentially life-threatening cancer. Doctors usually recommend treatment—such as a lumpectomy, radiation, or hormone therapy—to prevent the DCIS from becoming invasive”
That answered my questions. I guess I’ll have to go through radiation and hormone therapy now. So now I have a new appointment with a radiation oncologist and then a medical oncologist in the coming weeks. I’ll let you know how it goes in Navigating Breast Cancer: My Personal Journey – Part 3
Bible Verses I Am Holding on to During My Breast Cancer Diagnosis
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” – Deuteronomy 31:8
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
What about you? Has God helped you during a cancer diagnosis? What happened?