Order of Events, Part 1

So... I randomly found the lump in my breast on the evening of 8/7. Thought it was a little strange, so I called my doctor's office the very next morning to make an appointment. Turns out, if you say you found a lump in your breast, a doctor's office will find an appointment for you very quickly (or least that is my experience). After a brief examination, the nurse practitioner decided the lump was worthy of further examination.

The earliest appointment I could get for a mammogram and ultrasound was the next Thursday (8/14). Having a mammogram is an odd experience. For those who have never had one, a mammogram involves having your breast squashed between 2 pieces of metal at a couple of different angles. For more information on mammograms, and a really great picture of one, go to:http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/mammograms/mamm_tech.jsp
The mammogram provides proof that a mass exists in your breast area. I got to see my mammogram immediately following the x-rays, and was shown where the mass is located. The technician was very nice and explained the whole process to me beforehand so there were no nasty surprises. The next day, I was a little sore.

Immediately following the mammogram, I had an ultrasound (aka sonogram); well immediately following the snacks. My local hospital has this great snack collection of fruit cups, graham crackers (and other carb delights), and tea/cocoa for the ladies waiting for their next x-rays. The ultrasound provides the radiologist with a clearer picture of the shape and size of the mass. The ultrasound told my medical providers that I should meet with a surgeon, because whether or not the mass was malignant, it needed to be removed.

My mass is oddly shaped. I think that I was told it was 1.6cm x 1.8cm. Basically, the lump was described as very worrisome. I wish that I could remember the exact phrasing, but I believe that "worrisome due to malignancy concerns" was the statement on my lab report.

So next on my medical agenda was an appointment with the local surgeon...

August 2008

On 8/7/08, barely three weeks after I turned 34 years old, I found a lump in my breast. Two weeks later, a doctor told me it was cancer. Since finding the lump, my life has turned upside down and all around (shocking!).

The purpose of this blog is for me to share my experiences with the lump, and its after effects on my life, and the lives of those around me. I also have been told that journaling can be therapeutic. Plus, maybe I will learn to stop writing in the passive tone :)