2018: 🎄 Christmas Eve morning phone call: “we’ve got a cancer, can you come in at 11 today” – O’ Holy ****

I found the lump 2 weeks prior and went in to see my PCP about it, who sent me for a mammogram and an ultrasound. The radiologist reading my results suggested a surgical consult, who then scheduled a biopsy and voila!

I had my annual mammogram 5 months prior to this with nothing noted. The mammogram at this time looked exactly the same as the one from July, nothing changed? My lump was only seen on the ultrasound that day.

Surgery (lumpectomy) was 2 weeks later – clean margins and nothing spread to my lymph nodes. The cancer I had did not respond to chemo so I chose to go with radiation instead of further surgery/reconstruction. For 4 1/2 weeks I visited the hospital first thing in the morning on my way to work.

Genetic testing and this diagnosis puts me in the category of being watched very closely for any further trouble. I get to go in for the usual yearly mammograms (pictured above) with the addition of yearly MRIs. So every 6 months I’m going for some type of scan with semi-annual visits to the surgeon and my oncologist = lots of trips to Helen Graham Cancer Center!

Back then I was not regularly doing self-checks, this was randomly found in the shower. I put self-checks and flossing teeth in the same category – “yeah I know it’s important, I’ll start tomorrow..” Since this time I have been trying to get the message out about how important it is to know your own body (self-checks), & speak up when something doesn’t seem right. I think it’s also important to physically keep moving = exercise beyond normal daily activities. My fitness level helped me have an easier time dealing with & healing from this surgery.

Once I completed treatment I thought I was in the survivor category and could go on my merry way – in between visits to HGCC. Ummm – nope….. But one thing my oncologist stressed at my first follow-up after the NETs diagnosis was to make sure to continue screenings for the breast cancer issue. So now I have to keep track of both screening and treatment plans – I need an office assistant.