From Discovery to Diagnosis

Discovery - Sunday January 17, 2010.
It was a busy weekend for us. We were lying in bed talking about getting up and getting ready for the day when.....okay I admit, Paul found it. Total mood killer! We were immediately horrified but knew I could not get in to see my doctor that day. I had decided that I would use a holiday that Monday and get it looked at. I called to make the appointment and was happy to find that they would fit me in on Monday evening. Paul, of course, was with me and patiently sat in the waiting room for me to return.

I explained to my Doctor what we thought we had found and she examined me. She told me that it was more than likely just a cyst but I should have a mammogram just to be sure. My first reaction was "Breast cyst? What's that?" "Perfectly normal" she said. "Women get them all the time. You can have them and never know....they are harmless." You can imagine how happy I was to learn this. It was just a cyst....I slept very well that night.


Mammogram - February 6, 2010
It was a Saturday! I had no idea that they'd be open on a Saturday. I was thrilled... no time away from work just to have them look at it and tell me it's a cyst. The nurse was great! Even though it hurt like hell she made it easier. We were in and out within about 20 minutes and were to expect results in 7 to 10 days.


Mammogram Results - February 18, 2010
At least that was the date of the letter that I received from my Doctor's office telling me that I was booked for an Ultra Sound! "What?!? It's just a cyst why more tests?"

Gene Simmons Family Jewels - yes, you read that right.
The first two episodes of the new season struck very close to home...Shannon Tweed (Gene's "wife") discovered a lump while Gene was on tour with KISS. She went to the Doctor and had an ultra sound followed up by an ultra sound guided core biopsy! Shannon's results....just a cyst! I cried through the entire show....but I was still staying positive that mine was also just a cyst.

Ultra Sound - March 30, 2010 at St. Joe's Hospital.....yep, almost 2 full months after the Mammogram. Again, the nurse/technician was awesome! Martha was her name. She told me that I had multiple cysts and a mass that she was unable to identify as a cyst.


Ultra Sound Results - IMMEDIATE! And an appointment for a Core Biopsy in 2 days.... things are moving much faster now! But I'm living a parallel life to Shannon Tweed.....I'm also married to the "Demon"! (If anyone knows Paul they know he is a huge fan of KISS and in the summer of 2009 painted his face just like Gene Simmons and went to their concert in Sarnia)


Ultra Sound Guided Core Biopsy - April 1, 2010....no joke!
The doctor took 6 samples, 3 from the lump and 3 from a lymph node. Again, Martha was awesome and made it as comfortable as possible while the doctor used me as a pin cushion. I was told that I'd have results in 7 to 10 days and that I should call my family Doctor's office immediately to set up an appointment to discuss them. I was told to expect some bruising but....holy cow!!! It looked like i tried to catch a baseball with it!!

I did as I was told and I called to make an appointment with my Doctor to discuss the results of my biopsy. April 30 was the soonest I could get in! I actually said "April 30?!? That's ridiculous!!!" I booked the appointment and decided that I would just start calling every day asking if my results were back. Then I got a call back from Jillian from Mammography at St. Joe's telling me that I was booked for an MRI on April 8. I was instantly scared....even more than I already was! This was nothing like the parallel life I was supposedly leading!

MRI - April 8, 2010
That's just a big tanning bed that makes all kinds of irritating loud noises! In and out within an hour. No instructions given...no one told me when to expect results. I left feeling frustrated. But again, the technicians that worked with me were awesome!

D-Day - April 12, 2010
This could not have been a worse day to get my results. I was home waiting for contractors to show up to jack up the foundation of our house. Minutes before the contractors arrive the phone rings...it's the Doctor's office....correction....it's the Doctor calling me herself!!! Instantly I knew she was not calling with good news. Of course she was unable to tell me anything over the phone so I had to drag Paul out of work and head to her office. Shortly after the contractors arrived we left...I hope they didn't have any questions for us!

The entire ride across the city to my Doctor's office felt like it took a year! I gripped Paul's hand so tight I'm sure it was close to breaking but he never complained. We arrived and took our seats in the waiting room. Before long we were called in. My Doctor delivered the awful news.....I immediately fell apart. I had spent 3 months convincing myself that it was nothing! I was wrong, very wrong.

My Doctor did not have much more to tell me other than it was Breast Cancer, my lymph node was clear and that I would be contacted later that day with an appointment to meet with the Surgeon. A Mastectomy is what was to happen.

We drove home....to a house full of guys working in our basement. It was time to let everyone know what was going on with me. For 3 months we had kept it to ourselves and it was starting to become obvious that something was going on. Why would I be using half sick days once or twice a week....?

Needless to say the news was a shock to everyone!

As promised the Doctor called later that afternoon to say that I had an appointment on April 14 at 2:45pm with Dr. Lesley Scott.