Skip to main content

Just a Touch of cancer

There it is, in black and white and on the Internet.

So it must be true.

I have a touch of cancer. (A tumor, 3 mm to be exact, in my left breast).

I discovered the lump, when it was but a babe, maybe half the size, last August. I had had a mammogram scheduled but cancelled it.

WHAT????? I can hear you all screaming at me now. You cancelled your mammogram after you found a lump? And you have two sisters and two aunts that have had breast cancer? WTF??? (for my kinder, gentler readers that WTF stands for Well That's Freaky).

Yes, I cancelled the mammo because I had a trip of a lifetime planned for October with my handsome hubby of 30 years. And I did not want to:
A. Possibly cancel the trip of a lifetime;
B. Put a possible cloud of doom and gloom over Ireland while on our trip of a lifetime;
C. Let my wonderful hubby of 30 years know about the lump because he would have worried and fretted and argued vehemently (He's an attorney after all) that the trip should be postponed until we knew if the lump was cancer.

And we went to Ireland and London and had a most wonderful time. If you saw the gazillion posts and pics on Facebook, you know how wonderful.

And when we returned, I made the call to schedule another mammo. But when a few weeks later it was getting larger and tender, I made the calls to switch it from a routine mammo to a diagnostic one that included an ultrasound. The appointment was for Christmas Eve. The doc reviewed the images and told us that it was highly likely that the tumor was malignant, based on my age and previous MRI images from less than a year ago when there wasn't a any sign of a growth.

Merry Christmas. Not sure if the three not so little Piggins thought this same way, but John and I were grateful they were all home so we could share the news. 

Unfortunately, they have had to deal with sick parents on too many occasions. Besides my MS, John's throat cancer 9 years ago and his heart attack four years (or was it five?) ago- they've weathered their unfair share. I hope this means that when we're old, we'll be a breeze to deal with!! Know what I mean??

It's good it's early, stage II, and breast cancer treatment has come a long way.

But the best part, for me, is that I got that trip to Ireland before the diagnosis so now I know where I want to go to celebrate recovery. Or I think I know, Galway or Adare or Waterford?????

Comments

It's not a popularity contest, but ...

The world according to Gimp

  I understand that there are those who may believe my use of the term 'gimp' is derogatory or demeaning. I do not use it lightly or to belittle anyone, it's just a lot easier for me to than 'disabled' or 'handicapped' because it uses a little snark or humor to something that could use a little of that. Or in this case, I specifically want to make light of my situation so that it doesn't feel depressing. For you or me. Let me try to explain.  One of my pet peeves is the look of sympathy I get from well-meaning people. Like, "Aw, sweetie, I am so sorry that you are less abled, confined to a wheelchair and less able to live the full, active life that I lead."  I am in a wheelchair most of the time and my life is different because of that but in truth I never wanted to run a marathon of play pickleball or climb Mt. Baldhead (I've done the latter too many times usually bringing up the rear of the group I was with and/or being cheered on by the ...

Time

I have been reading through the blog entries for John's caringbridge site and am marveling that it was only a year ago we were on that awful cancer journey. In a way it seems like so much longer - especially when I look at the Patient Patient and see just how wonderfully handsome and healthy he looks! John still has periodic visits with the docs in A2 and prior to each we are both a little nervous that the docs might find something. He calls after each visit and we breathe a sigh of relief when the docs declare that all is clear! We know patients that went through treatment at the same time haven't received the same news; our concerns are grounded in reality and our sense of relief immense. In the past year, we have heard of far too many people that have received a diagnosis of cancer - prostrate, breast, throat, etc. While the type of cancer may be very different, the family's reaction and the ultimate course of treatment may vary greatly. The family and loved ones g...

Falling down

{ I found this draft while reading through my blog - I have many entries that I've never 'published' often using my blog space as a journal. At the time of this writing, I remember not wanting to post this because the feelings it elicited were too raw and painful. I am, much to my chagrin and to those that love me, a fairly proud woman. And this disease MS often seems to strip that pride, leaving me feeling wholly vulnerable and naked to the world - without my publishing it for all the world to read. Today, however, when I read this I felt compelled by the Holy Spirit, to bare all on this frigid day and remember how cold and naked I felt on a hot summer day.} We moved to our home 11 years ago - and one of the primary reasons we moved here was because of the proximity to Lake Michigan. I love the lake - the sounds of the waves crashing lull me to sleep, the beach inspires me on many levels and swimming in it's calmer waters is relaxing and cooling! Yet, after these 1...