My Cancer Diagnosis

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

On May 14th, the day after Mother's Day, I felt a small lump under my left arm. It was about the size of a small birds egg, or a marble, but it was egg shaped. I knew it was a swollen lymph node and thought I was fighting an infection.

One week later I could tell it was bigger, so thinking I needed antibiotics I saw the Nurse Practitioner at my doctors office. She immediately ordered a mammogram and ultrasound at St. E the next day. When the radiologist saw the results, he wanted to biopsy it right away, taking three core samples and said it would take two days to get the results from pathology. That was on May 24th. I started getting nervous, as the nurses and doctor started having an undertone that seemed very serious, despite their try at casual banter and humor.

It was a long holiday weekend so I had to wait even longer than usual. On Tuesday, May 29th, when I had heard nothing all morning, I started making calls myself to find out about the results. Finally, later that afternoon a nurse from my doctors office called.

Caden, Cara and I were in the car headed toward the mall. We had dropped my husband off at our very hot house to wait for the a/c guy as our air went out the day before - Memorial Day. Then the phone rang - the call I had been waiting for. I pulled over into a Market Basket parking lot and answered the phone.

The nurse did not want to tell me anything. She just wanted me to come in and meet with the nurse. I knew that was bad, but unable to wait any longer I told her I had to have the results now. She asked if I was sure and I practically yelled 'Yes!' She then said she was authorized to tell me that I had poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. But then she said the results were inconclusive. What?! It sounded like cancer to me! I told her that the radiologist said it would be clear from the pathologist report, either cancer or not. "So," I asked, "is it cancer?" She finally admitted it was, but they didn't know what kind.

I hung up the phone. We were sitting in our hot car as the a/c in our car doesn't like to work if it isn't moving. I sat still for a second and the kids were quiet. Then I buried my head in my hands and rocked back and forth, crying, "I have cancer, I have cancer." How could this be?

But it was hot, we were sweating, and I didn't want my kids to be any more scared than they were. So after about 30 seconds, I told myself out loud to 'suck it up' and get the car moving so we could cool down. And I had to call my husband and give him the bad news.

Back out on the road I called Bryan, who was silent while he received the news, but for some reason I kept apologizing. I felt really bad that he had to go thru this. Bryan loves with his whole heart, and I knew this would be hard on him. This is a man who never wants to spend time away 'with the guys,' he always wants to be with me. And if I can't be with him, he doesn't want to do it. We were looking forward to our 25th wedding anniversary next year. Now I found myself wondering if we would see it.

The kids and I decided to go by the church, as we were all shook up. It would be cool there and we could ask for prayer. So we stayed there until Bryan said the a/c guys had fixed the air. So we picked him up and went to his parents. You know why bad news loves company? To get comforted.

The next day I did get the final pathology report: Metastatic Breast Cancer - cancer that originated in the breast and has spread elsewhere. Not a good diagnosis and strange as well, since all my previous mammograms did not show any lumps or irregularities at all in that area, nor did the ones they did just before biopsy and ultrasound during the biopsy.

I decided to go to MD Anderson for treatment. MDA at first could not get me in until June 14th - exactly one month since I first felt the lump. But at the rate it was growing, I was nervous and asked for prayer from anyone and everyone. God answered that prayer and I was able to get in on June 6.

The doctor at MDA, after reviewing all my past mammograms and ultrasounds, had some concerns. First, it is rare for breast cancer to originate from the breast but to not show in any image. Not unheard of, but  rare. So she wants to confirm the point of origin because that effects treatment. Usually these things take weeks to test and go over, but at the rate of growth of the tumor, she has expedited the tests. God had to intervene again as I was told our insurance has a mandatory three day wait for any of these tests, but they came back today and approved all of them instantly.

I will have another mammogram, bone scan and ct scan of the chest area on Thursday, June 7. On Friday, I will have another ultrasound and echocardiogram to make sure my heart can handle the chemo. Then on Wed, June 13th, I will have an MRI of the chest in the morning and meet with the doctor late that afternoon to see if they found where the cancer originated and what treatment plan they have put in place.

The doctor at MDA did warn me that I am most likely looking at six months of chemo, surgery and then other drugs. I should know more by next Wednesday.

I would thank everyone for their prayers, I believe that's the only way this treatment plan has moved as fast as it needed to. My in-laws, Randy and Gayle, have been a wonderful help thru all this. I had no idea how much help I would need  just to handle whats happening right now.

Also, please keep praying for my kids - Caden's Crohn's has not been good these last few weeks, and Cara is having some issues to where she may have to see the doctor next week as well. But  I have seen God answer prayer and know he will direct us where we need to go - with the prayers of God's people. Thanks again, and God bless you all!