October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

And I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Here is the scoop:

September 11, 2012 - first mammography since last one a year and a half ago

 

September 24, 2012 - They called me back for a second diagnostic mammography and recommended

                                    that I see a surgical oncologist.

 

October 4, 2012 - Met with Dr Kolli at Robert Wood Johnson Cancer

                              Center. she scheduled me for a biopsy.

 

October 18, 2012 - The biopsy was done at University Radiologists in New Brunswick.

                                Pain discomfort was a 3, emotional distress was a 22! Waiting for results..HELL!

 

Statistic -80% of biopsy results are negative.

 

October 23, 2012 - Angela and I on the spur of the moment  make plans and go to Stan's Shoe Shack

                               then to Michaels and then to the Bridgewater Mall. I was in the clearance section

                               of Michaels when the radiologist called with my results. All I heard was that my

                               biopsy came back positive. She said more but I guess I just tuned it out.

                               No crying! No hysterics! Ok, now I know! I am back in control and can take care

                               of this. Told all immediate family members except my father (wanted to tell him

                               in person).

 

October 24, 2012 - I practiced saying ....I have cancer! A little unbelievable and during Cancer

                                Awareness Month no less. Called Surgeons office and asked to change

                                appointment from November 1 to something this week  .....Oct. 25, 2012.     

                                Dinner with Caroline and Pop. Told Daddy. All  he could do was look at me and

                                shake his head, but we didn't cry.

 

October 25, 2012 - Today! Saw my surgeon Dr. Kolli. My diagnosis is Ductal Carcinoma in SITU

                                with breast calcifications (DCIS). It is a stage 0 cancer, which is very good. There

                                is only a 2% chance of it spreading into my lymph nodes.

                                The cancer will be surgically removed by a wire localized lumpectomy. I will

                                recover for 5 to 6 weeks and then begin 6 weeks, 5 days a week of radiation and

                                then I will begin a five year hormone treatment probably Tamoxifin. I will have a

                                mammography every six months for at least the next two years.

                                This type of cancer has a 100% five year survival rate. I WILL LIVE!

Quick Update

You know how for a long time nothing happens and then boom! EVERYTHING happens? Well that's how it has been around here. Just a little overwhelming.

Just to name a few things:My Doctor appointments - good reports and bad reports - rechecks - scheduled biopsy -Samantha's eye exams - surgeons -Emilie and Matt trading in leased car - buying new car -Pregnant due March 2 -Pop taking written driving test (twice) - taking driving eye exam (once) - failing parallel parking twice - turning in driver's license -Tim and Robyn  emptying out parents/in-laws house - saying goodbye to in-laws (moving to S. Carolina) - Robyn quitting old job in NJ - getting new job in PA - Kellen being put into daycare (fulltime) -  Tim getting another job working from home - Me taking Pop grocery shopping, doctor's etc. (glad to do it) - Doug job hunting - finally getting a second interview - My biopsy scheduled for Halloween (2 weeks away/ too long) - rescheduled for Thursday, October 18th - Tim travelling for his job to Washington State next week - Me scheduled to babysit Kamryn and Kellen so Robyn can still go to work while Tim is away - (Don't forget Biopsy is Thursday)- Doug's interview on Wednesday Oct. 17 - Caroline and Diego secretly house hunting for the last two weeks - Finding the house of her dreams - They make an offer - (Stay tuned. There will be an update to this update probably with pictures) -I can't take anything but tylenol before biopsy..........The good news is that I AM NOT PREGNANT!

Time

Take time to see and capture the little things in life

The Bed and Breakfast

Nancy Avery (2nd from left)  could not go on our girl's weekend with us , so she followed us to the Jersey Shore Outlet and spent the day shopping with us on Friday. We then parted ways and Mary Scott, Pat England, Barbara O'Steen and I made our way to Avon by The Sea.

Wow! We were impressed with Mary's choice and we had not even gone inside yet.

The owners apparently got the name for their Bed and Breakfast from this novel.

Breakfast was heaven. We had our choice of fresh, warm muffins, eggs any way, juice, tea or coffee, breakfast potatoes,pancakes, omlettes,fruit....... better than any Perkin's breakfast!

 

 Not really a beach day, but at least the torrential rain that was predicted never happened.

 Can you imagine? A small, private theatre for our viewing pleasure. We watched What To Expect When You Are Expecting.

Sunday morning, packed and fed, we had Miss Mary blow the final bubbles on our weekend and we headed home!

The Test

Several months ago my father was involved in a fender bender in the parking lot of the Shop Rite of Branchburg. He received a ticket for careless driving and that set off a chain reaction. First he had to see an eye doctor and his family doctor to certify that he was fit to drive. They did and he sent the state the results. The state then sent him a letter telling him that he would have to retake the state driving test to have his license renewed. Did I mention that Dad is 90? Did I mention that he has never used a computer?
Chris, my sister , took Pop to motor vehicles the first two times. The first time he failed the written test but passed the vision test. The second time he passed the written test but then failed parallel parking. The examiner said that He did not understand her directions.
So today was my turn. Pop picked me up at 9am and drove me to the Camp Kilmer facility in Edison. He originally told me that we would be traveling there via route 287 but he actually listened and we took the back roads.

Pop failed parallel parking again. The facility uses cones instead of real cars and Pop kept backing into the space. He just could not remember what real parallel parking is. He never hit the cones, he backed up perfectly but did not realize that his car should be going in the same direction as the cones. He was parking his car like he would at Shop Rite.
The examiner gave him four tries and then in frustration said, "Sir, I am sorry but you failed."
Pop was more than a little frustrated! He can practice parallel parking and go back for one more try. If he fails for a third time his license is suspended until the time that he can pass the test.
At lunch, after he had had a cigarette, he said that maybe he would just give up and turn his license in next Wednesday.
A life transition that we might all have to make someday! Poor Pop!

I had a feeling.....

On September 11, 2012 , I went for my overdue yearly exams, and had both my gyno and mamo checked. At my mamo, the technician was diligent and redid my left breast for a second time. A week later I received a letter asking me to return for another examination. Today was the day! I cannot explain the contortions that they went through to thoroughly examine my left breast. I waited for 10 minutes while the radiologist read the films and then I was escorted into this little room with a lamp and two chairs. The radiologist got right to the point and said that I had a suspicious calcification at the top of my left breast, just under my armpit. It appeared to be 2 centimeters big and they recommended that I have a needle biopsy to rule out cancer. She was pretty damn serious and then told me to get dressed and wait for them to put all of my records together to take with me.(Never good when you leave a radiologists office with a three pound, brown envelope)

I made it out to the parking lot where my eyes started leaking. There was no hysterical crying, just a profound and utter sadness. Logically, I should be glad that they spotted the abnormality. Isn't that why I had the mammography in the first place?It was again an astoundingly beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, can bad things really happen on a day like this?

I drove directly to my family doctor, right before they closed for lunch. I requested an appointment for later in the day to discuss my test results. Doctor Goldman saw me then and there! A real jewel!
She wrote me out a prescription for the biopsy and tried to reassure me. Her kindness was overwhelming!

I drove home and as I was walking in, Emilie called to see how I had made out. Could not tell her without my eyes leaking! Then called Caroline,(wise beyond her years) my loving daughter, (my substitute mother),  at work, (who apparently I almost made cry at her desk) and she in turn called her brother Tim and called Emilie and told her to pick me up and take me to lunch and keep me occupied. Spoke to my Angel, I mean my friend Angela who has volunteered to pick out my new breasts for me if need be (trust me, she can always get me to laugh, and she has very good taste!)

Emilie then picked me up, we ran a few of her errands, then went to lunch at Joe's Meat Market in South Bound Brook. Walked to Samantha's school, picked her and Madison and a little boy from her class up and then spent the next hour with them on their school playground.

I must say that all of the nurses and Doctors that I talked to were very kind and efficient! They returned phone calls in a timely manner and I was able to get an appointment for Thursday, October 4th at 11am with Dr.Kolli at the Robert Wood Johnson Cancer Institute.

In 2000, I went through this proceedure for a calcification in the center area of my left breast. I saw a surgeon, Dr. Kearny from the same group. (I would have had to wait until October 18 if I had wanted to see him). At that time, no biopsy or surgery was needed.

If there is cancer there, I am glad we have found it and I will do what I have to to get rid of it!
I have children and grandchildren and a husband to live for! Although Daddy and I are not biologically related, I would like to live until 90 also!

Lucky Us!

We get to go to all of Samantha's home games for cheerleading! We really enjoy going. She seems to love doing it and she has improved every week. Not bad for a five year old. This Sunday was crisp and clear, a beautiful fall day to be outside watching our grandaughter cheer.