11/22: felt pain in my left breast. Didn't think too much of it, but noticed some hardness/heaviness in that breast along with the pain.
12/6: felt pain under my left arm. Felt a lump under my left arm. Pain in left breast had continued and I could feel a definite difference in the left breast and right. Felt like there was a golf ball in my left breast.
12/10: went to my regular doctor with the breast pain/lump and underarm pain/lump. He did an exam and said it was probably nothing, just fibrocystic changes, but went ahead and recommended a diagnostic mammogram and an ultrasound to be sure.
12/23: went to Memorial Hermann Memorial City breast center. Had a mammogram. It was totally fine, no pain, not too much pressure or squishing or anything. Waited a few minutes for the radiologist to look at it, then had an ultrasound. If it looked fine, there would have been no need for the ultrasound but it obviously wasn't fine.
I HATED the ultrasound technician. She was not friendly or kind. She kept taking pictures and measurements and I could tell that something was wrong. I was crying-not sobbing, just a silent cry- and she kept telling me to "stop the waterworks. We don't even know what this is yet." Bitch.
After she was done, the radiologist came in to discuss the mammogram and ultrasound. He said there was a mass in my left breast that could be something else, but it could be cancer. Considering that he didn't even suggest what else it could be, I figured he was thinking cancer. He said it measured between 2 and 3 cm - probably 2.2cm. He also said 2 lymph nodes were enlarged but 3 more also looked suspicious to him. He said I needed a biopsy to figure out exactly what it all was. I asked if I could have the biopsy that day and he said that he could do it that day if the insurance approved it. I waited for about 10 minutes, then it was approved.
I went into a biopsy room. They used an ultrasound to find the lump under my arm. Then they gave me a lot of lidocaine in the lump and around it. Then they shot a hollow-core needle into it 4 times. Each time, it collected a tissue sample. They also placed a marker into the lump. Then onto the lump in the breast. They used the ultrasound to find it and shot it with lidocaine. Then he stuck the hollow needle in it and OW! Not enough lidocaine. So he stopped and gave me another syringe of lidocaine all around it. Then he did the hollow needle 3 more times. No more pain though, thank goodness. They put a marker in the breast lump as well. They taped me up, gave me an instruction sheet, and I went home. Biopsy results would take 3-5 business days.
12/28: called my doctor to let them know to be on the lookout for biopsy results. 12/29: called again- no results.
12/30: they called me and said no results. They said it could be into the new year before results came in.
12/31: my doctor's office called and they had gotten results. They wanted me to come in to get them. They didn't have any appointments today and wanted me to wait until next Wednesday but I begged the nurse and she was able to get them to squeeze me in at 11. I was told to bring someone with me. Called Mom to come watch the boys so Brian and I could go. We got the bad news together. Breast cancer. The lymph node was also positive for cancer. They gave me a referral for a breast surgeon. They also did blood work and an EKG because my heart has been pounding like crazy with a super-fast heartbeat and I have been having chest pains since the week of my biopsy. Could be stress/anxiety, but they wanted to see if it was something else. EKG showed a very rapid heartbeat but it was a regular heartbeat. Don't know what that means. Blood work will be back next week.
Brian called the breast surgeon while they were doing my EKG and she is able to see me on Wednesday of next week. When I got home I called a fellow baseball mom who is a breast cancer survivor and got her recommendations for surgeons and oncologists. Texted a couple of Kelly's friends and got 2 more recommendations for breast surgeons/oncologists. Did a lot of googling. Scary things. Started making a list of questions. Called my principal. Told my team at work. Talked about it a little bit with Thomas. Tried to accept the fact that I have breast cancer. I'm 33 years old. No family history of breast cancer. Had my boys at 24 and 27. Breastfed both. How did this happen?
