(They were small cookies.) (Plus, that's just an estimate. It could've been less. Or more.)
I saw the surgeon today. He specializes in breast surgery so he did his own ultrasound and I got a better look at the lump consequently. It's 2cm+, which is close to an inch.
I went through the whole history with him, and he agrees it should come out. But even though we're taking it out, he did a needle biopsy anyway, using the ultrasound for guidance. It took about 5 seconds all told, which, given my past biopsy experiences, qualifies as miraculous, even though I am still a little sore.
Cytology (aka pathology) report should be back by the end of the week, he said. I don't believe it for a minute -- I believe he believes it, but I've never had a path report come back so quickly.
Surgery will be outpatient, and the whole thing, from admission to release, will take about four hours, sometime the week of October 23.
I called my mom to give her the update and we reviewed the cancer history in her family. Four of her sisters had breast cancer, and one had ovarian cancer. She herself didn't have cancer, but did have a precancerous mass removed which led to her getting her masectomy. It was one of those "given your history" decisions, much like the one I've made here.
The rest of the day is blur of children - homework - RE - dinner - homework - bedtime. I spent the last hour watching the pilot of Six Feet Under, which I had never seen before, on Bravo. Everyone seems almost normal in this episode, just wrecked because of Nate Sr's death. It's very cool to see the beginning already knowing the end.
Oh, yes: the cookies. They seemed to go well with 6FU and a cup of tea. Now this; bed soon, and more days and weeks of that dreadful treading water feeling, just trying to keep afloat here in the flow of life. I just want to get this particular medical episode defined: short term (lumpectomy, done), or longer term (lumpectomy, cancer, chemo-radiation-what?). It's not going to kill me, either way. It's the not-knowing that gets old very quickly.
Laugh of the day: got a bill from MDA for $29 and change. I'm sure there's another one coming, but it was sort of hilarious to get such a tiny bill for all the stuff they did to me last time I was there.
1 comment:
Joan, I actually can't believe you have to wait a week for the results! Geez Louise! Well, you KNOW I totally get the treading water feeling. Criminy. You are a ROCK. You really are. I'm very impressed with your devotion to your family despite all the physical horrors you've had to endure (and I MEAN horrors - I'm not for one second exaggerating). I will be praying A LOT that this not be anything more than a benign mass that is coming out to give you piece of mind. May G-d banish hats for bald heads and the stuff of chemo (pft pft pft!).
Now 42 cookies...I can get behind! (No matter HOW small. :D)
Oh, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Six Feet Under. I just watched the pilot last night and stayed up WAY too late. I rented the DVD's from Netflix and would watch all the episodes in a half-crazed marathon. The very last show was amazing.
Anyway, do what you can to enjoy your week and comfort yourself. You need some time too as well as your family
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