Hello friends, it’s been a busy time since we last spoke. If you remember, or for those of you playing catch up, I discovered a lump earlier this month and was waiting to get test results back. As it stands today, I am currently waiting for the final and total all clear, but I am happy to report that things are looking on the up.
Hopefully I’ll be nearing a total resolution on all of this soon, but this recent scare got me thinking back to my original diagnosis. Now that I’m in a better spot mentally, I wanted to take today to share my first experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer with you.
My journey with cancer began back in 2015 when I went in for a routine physical. This led to additional tests after they noticed something concerning but overall, they told me I shouldn’t be too worried yet. Despite their advice, I was certainly nervous, but I was trying to keep it together and think positive.
The Doctor Visit
I went to Princess Margaret Hospital for further testing which is known for its rapid diagnostic center. In fact, the woman who created it did so out of frustration over the process taking too long in the past. It was here that I had an ultrasound and a biopsy. Prior to this point they were hopeful that it was just a broken blood vessel.
The waiting process is excruciating and a roller coaster of emotions. That has to be noted here. It’s tough on you and your family as it’s an experience that will touch all of you.
After all of the waiting came the day of my appointment. It was four years ago now and, in my mind, it is as fresh as yesterday. I still remember the distinct moment where I realized I looked younger than everyone else there. I remember feeling I was too young to be going through this. This feeling would continue through the process.
At this point the ultrasound tech calls me back and begins to tell me about the process and how they will take pictures of me. After that they would be taken to the radiologist and they will be examined. If after this, they thought a biopsy was needed then they would then go ahead and do that. If everything looked normal, then I would be on my way home.
A Scary Moment In the Rapid Diagnostic Center
We had planned an amazing family trip, with the help of Santa, and this was supposed to be a joyous time for us. We hadn’t planned to go through this again. But here’s the thing, life doesn’t care much about your plans.
Being that it’s a Holiday my options are now limited. I call my oncologist but have to leave a message for the on-call oncologist who then would return my call. This day we were planning to visit a dear friend in Orlando, so we decide to go to our friends even after discovering the lump, but my head is a swirling mess.
The rest of the day is a bit of a mixed bag honestly. I’m a wreck trying to keep it together, but with my loved ones around they manage to give me a bit of an escape. They showed me love, support, and gave me other things to focus my mind on.
The next morning it was back to the reality of my new, but familiar situation. A plan was immediately hatched for me to meet with the local oncologist and then see mine the week when I returned home on Friday. The local staff here was amazing and they were great to work with. I came in and had an ultrasound done and they discovered that my lymph node didn’t look quite right at that they wanted to do a biopsy.
After some finessing, they were pretty booked, they managed to get me scheduled for a biopsy right away. I need to emphasize again just how amazing and compassionate this staff was. Not only did they make things happen so that I could get tested, they made me feel like I matter. When you are going through something so difficult, love and compassion go a long way.
Facing The Challenge Head On
A girlfriend of mine had accompanied me to the hospital for moral support and I met up with her in the waiting room. When she saw me, she could see all over my face that I had been put through the ringer in there.
We left and I filled her in on the subway. I filled her in on all the borderline devastating details. I told her that they needed to do a biopsy, that I would be waiting on the results, and that I felt I was far too young to be going through this. She gave me a big hug and consoled me which I needed now more than ever at that point.
So, I went home to my loving husband and gave him the full update on my ordeal. He was super supportive and apologized that he couldn’t be there. We had only been in this country for a year and now we were dealing with a major life event. All things considered; we were doing our absolute best. Sometimes life just happens regardless of your plans. We would face this challenge head on.
Tune back in for Part Two of my story…
