Back in June, I had a regular, yearly, screening mammogram. I am a strong advocate of having that yearly checkup. Anyway, a few days later the doc called me and told me that, just like last year, I had an abnormal area on the mammogram. Last year, they had found some calcifications and did a core biopsy. A few days later they called and said that it was nothing to worry about. Completely benign. Yay!
This year, however, when more calcifications showed up, I had to have another core biopsy. This time, it turned out to be Cancer. When I got the call (while I was driving on the interstate) I was stunned to say the least. I immediately called Tom to tell him what the doc had said. I couldn't see his face when I told him, but I believe he was just as stunned as I. We had to go see the doctor that afternoon. It is scary enough when they say the "C" word, but when they say, "I want to see you this afternoon to discuss your options," it really sounds bad. Of course, at that point, I was terrified.
After visiting with my doc that afternoon, I learned it was not as bad as my wild imagination had it. I had been diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma in Situ or DCIS for short. From there I had to make a decision of either a mastectomy or a lumpectomy. After much turmoil and about 200 questions and internet research later, I chose the lumpectomy.
The first part of having that done was to have an MRI done on both breasts to make sure there were no other areas of concern. There weren't. Whew!
The lumpectomy was done on August 20th. Since then, I have been working with a radiation oncologist at Mary Byrd Perkins Cancer Center to prepare for 35 treatments of radiation therapy.
First was to have a CT scan. That happened Monday, almost two weeks ago. They lined me up on the scan table and had me lay on a huge purple bag. When they got me positioned the way they wanted me, they vacuumed the air out of the purple bag and it formed to my body. They placed my name on the bag and now, when I go for treatment, I will lay on that bag so that my body will be in the exact same position every time. They also drew lines and x's on my body so that the x-ray machine can be lined up in the same position. It looks a little bit like targets on my body. They covered those with tiny plastic covers to keep soap and water from washing off the marks.
Yesterday, I had to go back in for the final x-ray line up. They had my purple bag ready for me and sure 'nuf, it was still molded the way it was two weeks ago. I laid on it and got in the correct position. Then the x-ray maching started moving around me. The technician called out coordinates to the other technician, did some final calculations, drew more marks on me and put on new little plastic covers and told me to come back Monday and we will get started with the actual radiation.
So after two months from surgery, I will finally begin 35 radiation treatments on Monday. I will have to go 5 days a week for 7 weeks to complete this part of my treatment. I have gotten READY, been SET and now will GO! Please keep me in your prayers and I will keep you posted as I go along.
Labels: biopsy, Breast cancer, calcifications, damage, DCIS, Ductal Cardinoma in Situ, lumpectomy, mammogram, mastectomy, radiation oncologist, radiation therapy, radiation treatment
