Diagnosis

First of all, thank you to my wonderful family and friends for all of the phone calls and text messages of support. They mean the world to me. The majority of you (if not all) have expressed an interest in knowing what happens next and results from future appointments. Even though it may seem really impersonal, I decided a blog would be the way to go. It's faster and easier than making so many phone calls and with the information coming directly from me, you can know it is accurate. :) I also appreciate everyone asking what they can do. What you can do is go get a mamogram. Early detection is key. Don't put it off, just do it!



So here's the story of how we got to where we are now and the information I currently have. I noticed a lump on my left breast a couple of weeks ago. I called my OB/GYN and got an appointment for the following week (last Tuesday.) After a breast exam, they referred me to Austin Radiological Association for a mammogram and sonogram. That appointment was this past Tuesday, March 2. The people at ARA are fabulous! Super nice and very helpful. So, mammogram done and sonogram done and a radiologist came in to tell me she was going to recommend a biopsy due to some concern she had of the results. So that was scheduled for Wednesday, March 3. Not too painful though the area is sore now but nothing major. Basically they use a gun with a big needle on the end to punch out some tissue to test. They did this 6 times. The doctor also showed me the films from the mammogram and sonogram so I could see what areas she was concerned about. I was told the results would be back in 24 hours. Thursday around 2pm, I got the call that it was cancer. As of now, they think it is DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ) which basically means it hasn't spread past the ducts. DCIS is the most common kind of non-invasive breast cancer. All though it isn't life-threatening having it can increase your chances for a more invasive form of cancer down the road. A long with that, being diagnosed before the age for 40 (that's me) and having kids after the age of 30 (yep, me again) increases your chances even more. So choosing a treatment plan will be pretty important. We are still waiting on more lab results to confirm it is only DCIS. The next step is to meet with the doctor Monday at 10:30 to discusses questions we have, treatment options, etc.