The Breast Surgeon
The 2nd surgeon I called, Dr. Charles Butler, was able to see me in under 2 weeks. Dr. B is part of Virtua/Fox Chase Cancer Center. When my husband and I went to see him, he was so calm. He told us that he became a breast surgeon because his mother had died of breast cancer many years ago. He is also a 4 year throat cancer survivor - so he GETS IT. He understood how frightened I was.
Dr. B asked me how it took to get an appointment with him. When I told him just over a week. He said, "That's not good enough. I want my patients to be seen in less than a week. Most of this is mental and you can't wait that long." He was completely appalled when I told him that the other surgeon couldn't see me for a month and a half. "I would work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, if I had to, so no woman would have to wait that long."
The Biopsy
For the biopsy itself, he did an initial exam and said that the lump was so tiny he couldn't feel it. He was only able to actually feel it when he had the ultrasound machine pointed directly on it. Initially, the lump looked like 2 lumps next to each other. Dr. B. was thinking that maybe they were 2 fibroadenoma's, which are benign. Tha't exactly what I was hoping for.
I'm a big baby so I didn't watch any of the biopsy procedure. I just laid on the table with my eyes closed while Dr. B stuck a very large needle into my right breast. The lump was deep and in the six o'clock position, so it wasn't easy to get too, but Dr. B was great - it wasn't all that painful.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The story....
I've been debating for a month about whether or not to blog about this "journey" or "fight" or well, cancer crap. I love to write and since writing is very cathartic - what the heck. Here goes....
The Mammogram
I had my annual mammogram the end of November. I should have had it in September, but I just couldn't get to it. I was too busy with work, home stuff. It just didn't happen. As it turns out, waiting that extra couple of months was probably a really good thing. Why? Well, when all was said and done, my tiny tumor was 1.2 cm. Tiny. Good. You'd think - but I was diagnosed the Triple Negative breast cancer; a relatively rare, aggressive cancer. So, if I hadn't waited, it might have been too tiny to be seen on the mammogram. Then I would have waited a year to have another mammogram, and my outcome could be very, very different.
The Results
After I got the first mammogram, I got a phone call that I needed to come in for a second one. No big deal. This happened to me one other time - five years prior. And remember 70-80% of mammograms need to be done over. At least that's what I was told.
So, I go for the 2nd one and the tech comes out and says that the radiologist wants me to have an ultrasound. They can do it right there and then. Uh oh....now I'm getting nervous. I go back in the little room and have an ultrasound on my right breast. I've had ultrasounds before - but only when I was pregnant. The tech slathers the goo, does her thing and leaves the room. A few minutes later, an older gentleman walks into the room (he's the radiologist) and says, "I'd like to send you for a biopsy of that." Crap. Now I'm really scared! Biopsy???? Big, giant needle that you want to put - where????
Who will give me the biopsy?
I go home and immediately call my PCP - whom I LOVE - L.O.V.E - she's a couple of years younger than me and has always been there for me....to listen, to help, and her office manager, Karen, is awesome!!
Anyway, I talk to Doc and she gives me the names of 2 breast surgeons. I called the first one, who was also recommended by a friend, and she couldn't see me until the middle of January. Remember, at this point, it's November and I don't know that I have an aggressive cancer. But, being the overly anxious person that I am, I decide there is nooooo way I am waiting that long for a biopsy.
The Mammogram
I had my annual mammogram the end of November. I should have had it in September, but I just couldn't get to it. I was too busy with work, home stuff. It just didn't happen. As it turns out, waiting that extra couple of months was probably a really good thing. Why? Well, when all was said and done, my tiny tumor was 1.2 cm. Tiny. Good. You'd think - but I was diagnosed the Triple Negative breast cancer; a relatively rare, aggressive cancer. So, if I hadn't waited, it might have been too tiny to be seen on the mammogram. Then I would have waited a year to have another mammogram, and my outcome could be very, very different.
The Results
After I got the first mammogram, I got a phone call that I needed to come in for a second one. No big deal. This happened to me one other time - five years prior. And remember 70-80% of mammograms need to be done over. At least that's what I was told.
So, I go for the 2nd one and the tech comes out and says that the radiologist wants me to have an ultrasound. They can do it right there and then. Uh oh....now I'm getting nervous. I go back in the little room and have an ultrasound on my right breast. I've had ultrasounds before - but only when I was pregnant. The tech slathers the goo, does her thing and leaves the room. A few minutes later, an older gentleman walks into the room (he's the radiologist) and says, "I'd like to send you for a biopsy of that." Crap. Now I'm really scared! Biopsy???? Big, giant needle that you want to put - where????
Who will give me the biopsy?
I go home and immediately call my PCP - whom I LOVE - L.O.V.E - she's a couple of years younger than me and has always been there for me....to listen, to help, and her office manager, Karen, is awesome!!
Anyway, I talk to Doc and she gives me the names of 2 breast surgeons. I called the first one, who was also recommended by a friend, and she couldn't see me until the middle of January. Remember, at this point, it's November and I don't know that I have an aggressive cancer. But, being the overly anxious person that I am, I decide there is nooooo way I am waiting that long for a biopsy.
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