I had been feeling tired, dizzy, my hair was breaking and thinning, and oddly my arms were falling asleep and tingling when in certain positions. I also had a sore "lump type" spot on my right breast close to my arm pit. I have a friend who had recently been diagnosed with BC in this same spot, so I was scared. I made an appointment with my doctor and he sent me for blood work and a mammogram. He didn't think the "lump" was anything but still wanted it checked out. I left his office and immediately went for blood work! Im not sure why but I really felt like something was wrong.. I called and scheduled my mammogram right away. I had a bad feeling about the mammogram. My husband asked if he should come and I told him it was up to him. He came with me (thank god).
On the day of my appointment I went to Hill Breast Center like I would for a normal mammogram except I was like 5 years behind. When they asked for my last mammogram, I couldn't remember when it was. According to them it was 2011.... Not good. They refused a single side mammo because I was overdue and had my doctor issue a new order. That took awhile so I was in the waiting room in that lovely pink robe forever. I was texting Derek the whole time, giving him the play by play of everything they were saying. Finally they called my name. I went in had lots of pictures taken in that torture device of a mammogram machine and was told to go sit in the waiting room again until the Doctor checks to see if the pics are enough. Well they weren't enough and I was called back for more pictures on my LEFT side. Wait this isn't why I came here?! I go back and do these special pics, where you have to hold your arm up for 5 minutes and at a weird angle.
After that, They wanted to do an ultrasound. The tech checked my right side and then checked my left and was really focusing on a certain area, which I was now realizing existed..... She wanded my armpit and I asked her why. I knew what she was doing.... The doctor comes in and is so nervous that she forgot to put the jelly on the wand before she starts her ultrasound. She checks my right side and informs me that she sees nothing but she is concerned about an area on my left breast... I look at the screen as much as I can and I can see the cloud shaped mass. She tells me that it will need to be biopsied asap and asks me if anyone is with me today? I immediately started to cry... She told me that she could explain it to my husband if it would be too hard for me..
I could barely make it out to the waiting room before I busted into tears. I couldn't even speak, Derek was asking whats wrong? whats wrong?, I finally squeaked out the doctor said she would talk to him if he needed it. She brought us into this small conference room and brought up the image from a cyst removal I had in 2011 and compared it to the image today. She told me that the cyst was white and that the mass they see today as you can see is black. She blew up the screen and showed my these microcalfications. She explained how there irregular shapes and sizes and indicated irregular cell growth. She wouldn't say cancer but we could tell.... I scheduled my biopsy and left terrified.
On the way home I googled black mass with microcalfications. It pops up Invasive Ductal Carcinoma... I was convinced that was what my biopsy would show.
The day of the biopsy I was so nervous but ready to get it over with. The doctor was very nice and explained to me step by step what she was doing. The mass was so hard that it actually bent the needle during biopsy. I barely felt any of it.. I asked the doctor 'how worried should I be?' and she said I think you have cancer... I asked her Okay what kind? She says Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. I told her that's what I thought too. I had been googling for days trying to diagnose myself or find another reason for this mass.... So after the biopsy she told me it would it take at least 48 hours for the results.
That was a tough waiting period... I couldn't stop thinking about it. I got the phone call on the second day first thing in the morning!! I was so shocked I called the navigator at Hill Breast Center to see why I was getting a call from my primary care doctor. She told me that my results were in fact in but he wouldn't allow them to give the results.. He refused to give them to me over the phone so I had to make an appointment for that day for 1pm. When he walked in and told me the biopsy showed Invasive ductal carcinoma I wasn't surprised. I was convinced from the day of my mammogram that I had Breast Cancer...
I immediately was given an oncology navigator who was walking me thru all the steps to start treatment. She was really helpful. I was referred out for an MRI to a place called Precision Imaging.. Worst experience ever. They wouldn't call to confirm they received my fax for authorizations and never called to schedule as promised. It was a nightmare! T o thisday I havent had an MRI. It still bothers me.. In the meantime my navigator kept asking if I had chosen an oncologist. I explained to her that I was researching and getting referrals from friends and she was very persistent that I hurry that process... I didn't understand why at the time. I met with a genetics counselor who explained because of my age it would be wise to do genetic testing. I did the simple blood test and was told it would take two weeks for results. While I was there my navigator came to see me and opened this book for patients with breast cancer. She pointed to my type of cancer and said " this is why I keep asking you if you have chosen an oncologist" She was pointing at HER2 Positive. All I could see was AGGRESSIVE .... I was balling my eyes out.. How was this happening? How did I know someone that was diagnosed a month ago? How do I have an old friend diagnosed 2 years ago? Wasn't I too young? She explained that there were great oncologists in the building and she would check if they were available to see me and I was immediately was like yes please. An oncologist Dr. Vu would see me right then! I sat in his waiting room and prayed. I prayed for another chance, I prayed that GOD would not take me away from my daughters so young, I prayed for a cure, for a positive outlook to this disastrous diagnosis.
Here is a small paragraph about my type of cancer:
HER2-positive breast cancer is a breast cancer that tests positive for a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), which promotes the growth of cancer cells.
In about 1 of every 5 breast cancers, the cancer cells have a gene mutation that makes an excess of the HER2 protein. HER2-positive breast cancers tend to be more aggressive than other types of breast cancer. They're less likely to be sensitive to hormone therapy, though many people with HER2-positive breast cancer can still benefit from hormone therapy.
Dr. Vu began to explain a course of treatment, the side effects, medications, etc and all I could do is cry... I was terrified. I was shaking uncontrollably. Derek asked him what my survival rate was and he said over 90%. That there are medicines that are now made to specifically target this type of protein.. I left that office exhausted, scared, relieved, and confused...He wanted to start treatment in a week!
I honestly didnt understand that there were so many different types of Breast Cancer. I thought I would be like my friends. I thought I would estrogen or progesterone positive, I just didnt understand. .
This is why I decied to blog about my experience. There are sooo many people out there that have no idea how many types of breast cancer there are let alone the diagnosis/prognosis that comes with it.
I hope these posts will help someone out there,
Lundi
XOXO
