While this is not the best news it's also not the worst and I'm lucky that it's been caught early, isn't in the lymph nodes and only 1 boob- so yeah for that!
I'm intending to use this blog as a way of keeping track and later on I can look back and see how far I've come.
There's also been a lot to laugh about and I refuse to get all pitied up.
So how did this start? Here's the timeline so far
2016
26 Jan Screening mammogram, I pay every 2 years because I have cysts and both grandmothers had breast cancer. I have the free mammogram in between so this way I get checked every year
29 Jan Phone call from my GP's office, did I know I'd been recalled for extra views? Medex will call me to arrange a time.I rang them instead hoping to get an appointment before the long weekend but earliest was aftwards
03 Feb 1145 Lots of extra views, combined with ultrasound, then magnified mammogram and then a biopsy on both left and right boobs. Initially it was the left one that I was recalled for but turns out the right looks most dodge. Dr Deborah spoke to me afterwards and gave me the heads up that even if the biopsy on the right showed benign she had a feeling there was an area of concern and it would need an MRI as well
04 Feb late afternoon the dreaded phone call from my Dr's office, "Your GP is away and the locum would like you to come in and discuss your results"
05 Feb midday. The longest drive from work to my medical centre. Very nice locum explained that the right boob is cancer, the left boob is benign. Next step is the referral to the Breast Clinic
15 Feb 0945 My sister Isla met me there, we were early of course and then we waited....50 minutes... it's a long time, I'm fairly patient but when a kid started playing his recorder in the waiting room I was about ready to scream.
Dr PC is the surgeon, pretty lucky to get him. He went over the results and wants me to have a "Hook wire guided wide local excision with sentinel node biopsy" will also need to have radiation, and will need an MRI first to get better idea of what is going on. I tried to negotiate a mastectomy but apparently the chance of recurrance is about the same with both options but surgical risk more with the bigger op. As I have medical insurance that will speed things up
Tentative op date set for 2nd March
23 Feb 1400 Pre-op Anaesthetic Clinic. I got to meet the lovely Justin. I've never had a general anaesthetic before, Justin said to me"You're an unknown but there's a lot in your favour, you're healthy, fit and slim" I had to stop myself from saying "I love you"
25 Feb 1200 MRI usually it can be a 4 week wait for an MRI but I get to jump the queue as insurance is paying for it. This was hilarious and gets its own post
29 Feb 1st day off work, blood tests in morning, this is for pre breast cancer surgery. Thought I'd go for walk up the Mt afterwards, not sure if I can totally blame getting blood taken or if it was the humidity but it took me 26 minutes! Usually it's 22-23 minutes
01 Mar 1200 Lymphoscintography - sentinel node mapping in Hamilton
Almost there when I get the phone call from Dr PC, due to the MRI results I want you to have hook wire excision on left boob as well to be sure
02 Mar Op day
First to Medex for insertion of hookwires x2 guided by ultrasound then mammogram to check if they're in the correct place, then off to Grace Hospital for the op - on the table about 1.45pm
The operation goes well, no drama and just a bit of discomfort, discharged the next day. Bit gutted I didn't have to stay longer - there's Sky TV!
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| Before surgery, no make up |
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| About 4 hours post surgery |
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| No pain pump required |
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