Reborn
Mood:
a-ok
Topic: Day to Day
Today I woke up feeling reborn.
5 weeks ago, I found a lump in my breast. I had my annual exam just 3 months before, and this was not there.
I had to wait 14 days to see a doctor, to make sure it is not cyclical.
I went to the radiologist first, who did an ultrasound, and told me something I couldn't repeat out loud for a minute. I have a tumor. I have 20% chance of having cancer.
I then went to the best Breast Surgeon in town. She told me, it's probably not 20%, it's a fiberadenoma (what??? I've never heard that before) and that it's pretty common in women, in fact in Europe this just gets left alone, but here they poke it 4 times and make sure it's okay, with biopsies over 2 years, every 6 months. But since I have only one, she advised me to just get it over with and pull it out.
The week after this, I had my wisdom teeth pulled out.
The week after this, I was out of town for work. When I was in the shower, I noticed another lump, on the other side. It was even scarrier to find it then the first. Everyone I know thought I was a hypochondriac. We had to wait a few days before another ultrasound could take place. I had surgery scheduled for today, and the second ultrasound took place yesterday.
The radiologist confirmed that I have a second lump, in the other breast. I begged him to check for more, as the first radiologist would't check overall. He found 3 more. I have 5 total. While he was finding more and more, and I was lying there on the examination table, I thought that for sure the first lump must have been cancerous, and must have metathesized and gotten everywhere. I was doomed. But this was not so. After he finished his work, the radiologist said - why are you upset - and who told you that it's 20% chance of being cancerous? You have nothing to worry about, and I don't think you need this surgery tomorrow.
What???
Turns out if you have them on both breasts and if you have more then 2, it means they are all okay. Some women just get them. I didn't know any of this, have never heard of this before. I hope that if women get one fiberadenoma that they find, they come to this page and learn that they should check for others. If you have a lot, then you just leave them alone. Some women just get them. I am one. I am ... one in 3, because technically this counts. I am one in 3 women you'll know in your life time that have a tumor, and it ain't that bad. Now I'm still a little nervous about the biopsies, but I am told they are only precautionary. I'll do one, don't know if I['ll do all 4. We'll see. Better safe then sorry.
The moral of the story is that radiologists won't look outside the lump the order is written for. If you have one lump, ask your doctor to write the order to check for more. It doesn't cost you any extra if you have good insurance (and you can check on yours). But it's worthwhile - peace of mind! If the first guy would have just checked all of it, I wouldn't have almost gone under the knife!!!
The other moral of the story is that a top breast surgeon who examined me one week, coudln't find a lump that I found myself the following week. Shows how important self-exams are. Make sure you, your friends, and family know how to do it.
But the good news here is that this morning, right now, I would have been going into surgery... And I'm not. I feel reborn, with a new chance, a bigger chance then ever.
I don't know why it takes events like a friend dying or this to realize how precious life is, but I guess this all had a purpose, to remind us.
Triathlon season - you are officially in full swing for me. Though I missed some early indoor events, I'm not planning to miss any more. I'm back to a regular do or die schedule, as of right this moment.
Nothing makes me feel more alive then that right now.
Posted by anteojos
at 9:02 AM CST
mischievious
caffeinated
snow