Monday, August 18, 2008

A little detour...

Most of my blog is about The Diaper Bag Wrangler, but today I gained a new "identity". As much as I rather give this one up, I'm stuck with it- at least for now. So join me (if only in my blog-dom) on my new journey...

This journey really started a few weeks ago when I went to my OB to have a lump in my breast checked out. I completely expected her to say "it's a cyst, we'll drain it and send you on your way". Nope- I got sent for a Mammogram and Ultrasound. OK- I'm 30...do 30 year olds have mammograms- No. But that will be covered in another post...

Last week I had the lovely pleasure of having the "girls" squished and squashed like silly putty. BUT-it wasn't that bad- so when your time comes for the mammo...there are far worse things that you could be dealing with....like a screaming 2 year old having an all out temper tantrum in the post office.

So after the mammo, I was waiting for my Ultrasound, and my new friend Nurse L. came to get me and brought me into... a conference room...WAIT-there's no ultrasound machine in here! And she was joined by my other new friend- Dr. M. I knew this was not your typical situation. The 2-second version of the conversation was the mammo was abnormal, more calcifications were detected and we needed to figure out what was going on...fast. So they busted out all the guns, made all the calls and got me set up for a MRI and surgical consult/biopsy. No ultrasound today...we're past that point.

A few days go by...it's sinking in...I'm freaking out...but...there is hope-right?

MRI and surgical consult/biopsy day... at the C-R-A-C-K of dawn Mike and I cruise down to the hospital. The good thing about an early a.m. appointment (at least for me) is that you are so tired, you don't remember a lot of it later on in the day. I was a little nervous about the MRI- in my lovely, and extensive medical history I (for whatever the reason) never had one. It was uncomfortable for the mere fact that you have to lie 100% still for up to 6 minutes at a time, for 30 minutes total- while it sounds like a rave party is going on around you. N-ch, N-ch, N-ch...that part sucks. After the test, we cruise back home, only to return in a few hours later for the surgical consult.

After lunch...hey...wasn't I just here this morning???? Maybe- but I'm so tired and my mind is all over the place that it really doesn't matter. We meet my new hero (sorry el tiegro) Dr. Bob. Dr. B is really casual and cuts right to the chase....biopsy (and an ultrasound, but not the fun kind where you see your little baby that looks like an alien). Ok- the biopsy- I was REALLY hoping it was like an amnio needle. HA! The only way I can describe it is this...an electric turkey carver with a remote control car antennae on the end...aka the biopsy probe (not a needle). I'll leave out the details, but he got the tissue sample and sent it on a joy ride to NY for a spin under a microscope. And we wait...........

And wait............

Sunday we go to Dutch Wonderland.......and wait in lines to go on rides (still waiting).

Monday (today) we wait.....Mike goes to work but has instructions to pick up the "bat phone" when it rings NO MATTER WHAT. I decided to be a little proactive, instead of waiting for MY phone to ring, I give a little shout out to Dr. B to see what's going on. Maybe I should have just waited....so the pathology comes back, and it's malignant (that means I have breast cancer) . BUT- no time to freak out ( that was last week, remember) there is a TEAM that I have to meet! Notebook out- writing down tests I need done this week, doctor's names, phone numbers, buy a key lime pie at Blonde Giraffe-no wait- that's Dr. B's job...

So today I offically became a 30-year-old with breast cancer. This is who I am now, but it's not who I'm going to be for the rest of my life. It's a detour.

3 comments:

Michael Agneta said...

A 30 year old with breast cancer??? That's not what I'd call you.

I'd call you a kind & selfless friend to everyone, a fantastic Mommy who always, always puts her Lil' first, and the woman who to this day always makes my heart beat faster every time I see her smile.

The "Big C" has never met anybody like you before - it doesn't know what it's in store for.

Lc said...

KC you are the the strongest person I have ever known. I am so proud to be your Mom.

Since you were a child you never, ever let anything stand in your way. I always told you there were several options to accomplish your goal. The previous quote states "The "Big C" has never met anybody like you before - it doesn't know what it's in store for." No truer words have ever been spoken.

Keep smiling, better days are just past this detour. You are KC "Woman on a wild journey" and we are there to help you along the way!

Caits said...

My support and well wishes are with you KC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!