The Diagnosis...

Sometime mid-April, I found a small lump in my left breast. I went to my doctor and we had an ultrasound done at the end of April. The ultrasound showed a cyst. I was not worried about it and my doctor was not worried about it. We did decide it would be best to have the cyst aspirated (i.e. stick a needle in and pull the fluid out), and so a request was submitted for an appointment. We did not hear back from the surgeon and a month or so later when I started to have some discharge from that breast, my doctor pushed harder and got me into the Breast Clinic at Freeport Hospital in Kitchener. My appointment was for July 8th, for an aspiration. Know that at this point I was not worried...I didn't think anything was wrong...I just had a cyst and once we took the fluid out, I would be fine. The fluid would be tested just to be sure.

On July 8th when I went to my appointment, they discovered (via ultrasound) that it was no ordinary cyst. Instead of doing an aspiration, they did a biopsy. The radiologist was very clear to Matt and I at that time that she was pretty sure it was cancer and she would make sure her report stressed this. She did not want there to be doubt that could cause any delays. And she told me to call my doctor's office and let her know that the Radiologists was sending her report that day and that my doctor should make sure I had an appointment with the surgeon for when the pathology report (results from the biopsy) were available.

I am truly grateful for my family doctor for keeping the ball rolling on this, especially when we thought it was nothing. And I am grateful to the Radiologist for the conversation she had with Matt and I after my biopsy on July 8th. She gave us a great heads up and put me (and Matt) in a better position to deal with the news. At this point we knew it wasn't for sure...and only the pathology report would be able to confirm it.

My doctor's office received the pathology report late in the day on Thursday, July 15th. I had an appointment with the surgeon scheduled for Monday, July 19th. It will be one week tomorrow since I first met with the surgeon.

The surgeon confirmed that I do, in fact, have breast cancer. We know it's an invasive cancer and we know it's a large tumour. We don't know much else at this point. I have some tests to do over the next week to help with the staging and determine the treatment stategy.

I feel strong and confident that I will beat this thing. I am asking for lots of positive energy, thoughts and prayers. I am not sad and I am not afraid. I will admit to being a little nervous.

I say "Bring It"!! It has no idea who it's dealing with.