Day 3

Numbering these days isn't really an accurate timeline. It just means my third posting.



In looking over my blog I see that I haven't really told the whole story and there is nothing less satisfying than a story only half told. I will begin at the beginning and stop when this whole adventure is behind me.



I shall begin with the potential of embarrassing myself but this is absolutely for educational purposes. I have a Pap smear and mammogram every year. This is something I do religiously because I believe an ounce of caution is worth of pound of cure. More cliche, sorry but I did reword it and it works for me. Anyway, this year I wanted to get this all done during my days off so I scheduled the pap smear for a Monday (November 10) at Kaiser Shadelands and the mammogram for Tuesday (November 11) at Kaiser Walnut Creek Main. As I was waiting for my first appointment I looked over the receipt I got from the receptionist. Kaiser always lists which tests are due and what immunizations are needed. I saw that it said I didn't need a mammogram for another 1/2 year or so (it said 18 to 24 months). Hmmmm, I thought, I should probably cancel that appointment. But when I went in for the Pap smear I asked the nurse practitioner about it and she said, oh what the heck, go ahead and have it done. So I didn't cancel. When I think about it now, I get a little scared thinking how long I might have waited and not known...Oy! (Let this be a lesson, my children, and don't ever think you can put off a mammogram!)

About a week later I got a postcard from Radiology saying that the mammogram was inconclusive and that they would call me for an ultrasound appointment. I got the call a couple days later at work. I missed the call actually and was frantically trying to reach the person who called me as I tried to be discreet in my office but tried to work the circulation desk at the same time. I ended up teaching a student how to check out his own book as I stretched my phone cord around the door so I could see what he was doing. He did just fine. The appointment was just a day or two away which was a bit of a relief. And still optimistic I went in knowing full well that this little something was, in fact, nothing to worry about. However, once again they weren't sure what it was they were looking at. They did another mammogram just for the heck of it. And decided a biopsy was in order. When they called I told them I was off to Honolulu within the week. Hmmm, because of not being able to schedule me until the day I got back and not being able to use pain relievers a week or so before a biopsy (don't want thinned blood during a biopsy) they had to push the biopsy off until the day after my birthday. Happy Birthday Mardie. Not that I was getting nervous at this point but I felt that having the big 60 overshadowed by an imminent biopsy would kind of dampen the festivities. We celebrated the Saturday before my birthday and the biopsy. Bings is my favorite birthday dinner place and that is where we celebrated. I got a Rolex! Hmmm, another metaphor I don't want to think about. But it is very pretty and I can read the dial so I am quite happy with it. Anyway, biopsy day comes and they are really quite sweet and gentle and we had fun if you can say that about a biopsy. I was pleased to discover that Kaiser is on the cutting edge of breast biopsies. There was a news report the other day about how doctors are still doing breast biopsies the old fashioned way with what amounts to surgery but the newest procedure can be done quite simply using a table that is on a lift with a hole in it. The doctor positions herself under the hole where the breast drops through. Gravity makes it easier for them to find what they are looking for. And that was the procedure I had. Thank you Kaiser... They took some tissue samples and gave me hugs and told me to take it easy. I probably wouldn't hear from them until next week. Because of Christmas being two days away and people having days off. So when I got the call from Dr. Fong on Friday I was almost not surprised when she said it was cancer. She prefaced the announcement with asking me about my holidays and other stuff that she probably didn't really care about because she didn't want to give me the bad news. But it is really reassuring that they don't let things sit around. I got a call the following Monday and had appointments with the Breast Care coordinator and the surgeon the same day. And then a call from the surgury appointments people on Wednesday making appointments for surgery the following Tuesday and an appointment with nuclear medicine to prep me for surgery the day preceding my surgery. Which is, by the by, is an outpatient procedure.



Now, I sit and wait for two more calls. Today I will get a call telling me the precise time my surgery will be in Antioch and a call from the anesthesiologist so we can decide how much I need to be knocked out. And so, I wait. And do the laundry. Because, life does go on, doesn't it?



P.S. I am leaving out a huge part of this story and that is the incredible amount of hugs and love and support I am getting from my friends and family. You are all wonderful and I appreciate everything you are doing or have offered to do for me. I'll probably write more about you later. But right now know that you are really, really appreciated. Big hugs to you all.