I have been in Florida 6 weeks helping some friends out. When I knew I would be gone, I called and changed all my doctor's appointments, labs, tests, etc. I returned May 16th and had my first surgeon's appointment since November on May 18th. The surgeon did the ultrasound like she has been doing. As she was looking at it, she said that she was noticing a cloudiness above the tumor that had not been there on the previous ultrasounds. She also said the tumor was now measuring 6 mm., which was up from 5 mm. almost a year ago, and .4 mm. in November. There is a margin of error of approximately 1 mm, so the change in size of the tumor was not necessarily cause for concern just yet, however the cloudiness was more concerning.
At that point she said she wanted me to have another mammogram to compare to the previous mammogram. My last mammogram was in August of last year so she gave me the option of just waiting until August, or trying to get in that day. I didn't want to sit around waiting for 3 months wondering if there was cause for concern or not, so I told her I could stay for a mammogram if they had a slot. They did not have a slot for Tuesday, however they could get me in on Wednesday.
When I arrived on Wednesday, they took me and another lady back at the same time. We changed into our fabulously styled hospital gown and both waited for them to call us. They came and got me first, and I proceeded in to have the mammogram done. I had assumed I would be there approximately 30 minutes, they would do the mammogram, then they would let me go and send a report to my surgeon. When the tech was finished, she told me to head back into the changing area and she would get back with me. I waited. The lady who came in with me came out, changed clothes, and left. Still, I waited. And waited. And waited. Thirty minutes passed, and when no one had come to let me know what was happening, I went in search of someone. When I found someone, they told me that, yes, I was still supposed to be waiting. So, back to the waiting room I went. Approximately 10-15 minutes elapsed before the mammogram lady came in and told me the radiologist wanted an ultrasound.
I went back for an official ultrasound this time. The tech took pictures and asked questions then she got the doctor. The doctor came in, took more pictures, asked more questions, and told me that the tumor looked like it was starting to infiltrate the skin now. I was told to go back, change clothes, and that my surgeon would get the report and call me.
On Wednesday evening the surgeon called me and reiterated what had been told to me earlier that day. Then she asked me what I wanted to do. I had already decided that if there were any change in the tumor I would have a mastectomy. I told the surgeon that I was ready to do surgery. She would have just done a lumpectomy again with radiation. I decided I have already done the lumpectomy without radiation, and I am not interested in doing the same thing again hoping for different results. I am also a little OCD and my personal preference is to keep things as symmetrical as possible. Maybe that's a little vain, and I know some people would not choose to lose a breast for that reason, but as I said that's my preference and I have to live in my body for the rest of my life. At this time I am choosing to not have reconstruction. I know that it is easier to do while you are having the mastectomy, but I feel like I need to be comfortable with each step of this process and, if you haven't figured it out already, I am in no hurry to do reconstruction just to try to be as "normal" as possible as quickly as possible. Perhaps in the future I may decide to do reconstruction, perhaps not, but whatever I choose it will not be a rash decision.
Thursday I got the call for scheduling surgery. The surgery has been scheduled for June 9. I have been told I can choose to stay overnight in the hospital or go home that day. I am told to expect to have drains in for 8-10 days post-surgery. I am allowed to return to normal as soon as I feel up to it. I will keep everyone posted as things progress.
No comments:
Post a Comment