A Curse or a Blessing? My Journey through Breast Cancer.

Week 1 of My New Journey

November 17, 2011

Ok, so I have decided to blog my experience with Breast Cancer and My Fight hear is a recap from 96hrs of turmoil. Got the call I had breast cancer, met surgeon to discuss options. I had the weekend to try and let it settle in...I don't think it fully has yet.

Monday morning had me up bright and early to drive to Torrey Pines (40min from my house) to meet my Radiation Oncologist at 9am. Nice guy. Laid out my options and said, see ya in 6mos for radiation. Next was an appointment with my Medical oncologist at 4pm, Ugh, Wish they could have been scheduled closer to each other but oh well.

Tuesday had me fasting after 8am....Back to Torrey Pines to nuclear medicine....Drink some contrast...Get an IV and injection and relax for 45mins while the contrast moves through my body. Time for the CT first...They check the IV line, it has blown out so need to start a new one. Now PET scan...They can lay these films on top of each other for a better picture of everything. In and out in about 3hrs...short day...lol

Wednesday....Arrive at Nuclear medicine in Torrey Pines again 9am....Another IV and another injection of Contrast...Now the wait is 3hrs....I take off and spoil my self with a new purse, wallet, cozy throw blanket and fuzzy socks...I LOVE fuzzy socks...lol Then a little early lunch. Back to Nuclear medicine to have bone scan done....40mins later I am out of there....BUT I now have to go to the building next door...Chest xray at 2 and biopsy of lymph nodes and clip placement in right breast mass at 245. Finally out of there at 430 and on my way home...What a day!!!

Thursday...Thank goodness no Dr appts, but of course I have a manditory meeting at work, the office is an hour away, and I have to be there at 7am....Done at 9am...YES! A free day for me....I am ready for a break.

Friday.....Have a Breast MRI with contrast in Carmel Mountain...Only 30ins from home....Check in at 930....ANOTHER IV with contrast...The lady missed the first time so had to get someone else to poke me again.....MRI at 10 and out of there by 1030....I am BEAT!!! Thank goodness I took this week off of work.

Saturday....Some much needed Mommy/Daughter time then out dancing for a bit....I needed to get this pent up anxiety out...I LOVE to dance!!! Sunday night...Back to work....Surprisingly, I am ready to go back. I know it was only a week off but it felt like forever....I don't like so much alone time. I would rather be around other people...Even it is just to feel their presence.

Ok...More to come later this week for the happenings right now.

Checked out a few Breast Cancer Support Sites...Especially those that gear towards women under 40.

Below is a message I posted on a forum on one of my breast cancer support sites:

Hello everyone...I am Denielle. I am a 38yr old (39 in 6days...lol), single mother of a 17yr old daughter. I was diagnosed 11/2/11 with Stage 2 IDC hormone positive and Her2 positive breast cancer of the right breast. It has also metastasized to the lower lymph nodes in my right axilla. All other scans show it hasn't gone any further. But they are growing at an alarming rate in my lymph nodes. I went from being able to feel one Lymph Node the side of a peanut to now feeling 3 and the original lymph node is now the size of a large grape, the 2nd one from a pea to a peanut and the 3rd is pea size, all in 6wks. I am really feeling positive about my prognosis. I am one to always be smiling and I will continue to wear this smile throughout. There is no family history of breast cancer. One day I felt a lump the size of a small grape, now measures 3.6cm x 3.3 cm x 1.3....It just appeared. I thought it was just a fibrous cyst...My Mom and Aunts have those. Decided to get it checked out to put everyone at ease. To my surprise and to my Dr as well....Biopsy came back cancer...Everyone, myself and my Dr included thought it was just a fibrous adenoma...Benign...Well, guess we were all wrong....Thank goodness we had it biopsied to make sure. I have a wonderful and LARGE support group around me. Dad, Mom, Daughter, Boyfriend, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Friends, and Coworkers...But sometimes I fell so alone!!! Like they all understand what I have but the don't REALLY understand.It is all moving so fast...Diagnosed on the 2nd of this month and I start Herceptin and Chemo on Friday 11/18/11....After 18 wks of that, I will still have Herceptin infusions for a year. Surgery right after Chemo and then 7wks of Radiation.I am going to continue to work...I have to...I am the only income...It's just me and my daughter. Luckily I am a private duty nurse and have been with the same family for almost 4yrs...Plus I work overnight shift so more down time. The family is soooo understanding and for that I am greatful.I didn't think that losing my hair would be such a big thing to me...I mean I used to have such short hair that I used a number 3 on the clippers for the back and sides. Anyways, I am starting to get a little anxious about it. I have an appointment tomorrow to order my wig. I am going to a great place here in North County called Women's Health Boutique....They cater to cancer patients and breast cancer patience in particular. They have tons of wigs, scarves, hats, post op garments, falsies, special bathing suits, etc. I am also really worried about being sick....I mean I am a pretty healthy person other than my diagnosis of Fibromyalgia in 2004...I pretty much have that under control now. I am bit worried about the affects the chemo drugs will have on my fibomyalgia though..Anyone who is going through this or has gone through this, any insight would be much appreciated!! Thank you for reading! Have a blessed day~!

To anyone reading this...Thank you for taking the time to do so...I am a bit long winded at times but I like to make sure I get all of the info in...hehe