Ummm... Where On Earth Did This Lump Come From?!?!

2022 was the year that I was supposed to go on vacation. The year where I really got my website going with a following. It was supposed to be the year of fun. It was all going to plan until the beginning of May of 2022. The hubs and I had just finished watching the LA Kings beat the Edmonton Oilers in game 4, round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and we were getting ready for bed. I happen to look down at my left breast and was taken back by a lump the was slightly popping out. I racked my brain... did I hit myself and just didn't remember? I did a different workout that morning that was arm focused with weights. Was I really that uncoordinated that I hit myself and I don't remember? ""Umm... honey? Do you see this lump that I see?" Yep, he saw it too. We decided to wait a few days before calling the doc, just in case it was really a self-inflicted wound.

Fast forward a week, now we are at the middle of May, and that pesky lump was still there. Which doc do I call? My primary care doc or my OBGYN? I've been tossing around getting a new primary care doc, so I went with calling my OBGYN. They could fit me in on Wednesday. Great! Let's do this. On the day of my visit I took a look to see when my last mammogram was. It was in November, and it was clear. Okay, cool. My OBGYN was actually perplexed as she was checking the lump out. She wasn't sure what to make of it, so she ordered a mammogram and ultrasound of it to answer all our questions. 

I get home with all my paperwork and call to make my appointment for the mammogram and ultrasound. The soonest they could get me in was July 6th! The gal scheduling the appointment starts to read the notes and sees that it is for a new lump. This date will not do. She put me on the schedule for the 6th but promised to call me the next day with a sooner appointment. Just as she promised, she called the next day. Can I come in next Thursday at 8:30am? Sure, as long as I don't have to wear makeup. And another week of waiting begins.

The day of my mammogram and ultrasound my nerves were a bit rocky. At this point only my husband and boss knew what was going on. I didn't want to worry anyone else if this all turned out to be nothing. They did the mammogram first, and it was unpleasant like always. The ultrasound was up next. Now the geek in me found it really interesting how you could see the lump right there on the screen. The doc was pretty quiet the whole time during the procedure. They got me cleaned up and asked if I was available to come back that afternoon for a biopsy. What??? The doc then said that the lump was suspicious and one of my lymph nodes was inflamed so they needed to do the biopsy to see what was going on. Sure, I can come back this afternoon, bonus I didn't have to wait another week. 

When I came back for the biopsy, that was the first time someone actually said cancer. It hit me like a sledgehammer. It can't be cancer, I'm not old enough! The tech assured me that whatever it was, they could treat it and I would beat it. She then changed the subject to Memorial Day weekend. It was that weekend, and asked if we were doing anything. Any plans that I thought about were tossed out the window with the restrictions of healing from the biopsy. No lifting anything over 10lbs, no working out for a week and no showering for 24 hours. The doc that did the biopsy was very nice and explained everything going on. It was all very interesting from the medical side, so the geek in me was entertained. They got all the samples that they needed, bandaged me up and put some ice packs in my bra. Now the bad news... with the holiday weekend it is going to take a bit longer to get the results. The soonest they would be available is June 1st. Did I want to receive them in person at the office, or via phone? I voted for a phone call just in case it was bad news, so I wouldn't have to drive home.

Memorial Day Weekend the hubs and I tried to stay busy drinking wine and BBQing with friends, but it was hard to stay engaged. The days just dragged on. June 1st finally came. The nurse called at 10:30am to let me know that my test results were delayed, and she wouldn't have the results until that afternoon. My nerves were already shot, what is another few hours. She finally called back. I have Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer. The biopsy has been sent out for further testing. I will need to meet with my team of doctors on June 6th to decide/hear the game plan.

And just like that I went from a pretty healthy girl to a girl who is going to have to kick breast cancer's ass.