The Trailhead

Current statistics show that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. I bet there is not one person who can not identify 8 women in their group of family and friends alone.  I think the number is way higher than that.  This may be my story but it is also the story of so many others.

I am trying to decide where this story actually starts.  I thought the start of it would be with my grandmother who was diagnosed with breast cancer in the 1970's and ended up with a radical double mastectomy.  I thought that might be the beginning because in 1996 my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Things had progressed in 25 years though so mom "only" had a lumpectomy and radiation.  In the 25 years since my mother's diagnosis I was waiting for the next shoe to drop.  I was so much like them both that I thought it was inevitable. In that time period 3 of my first cousins on my mother's side were also diagnosed. Sure enough on May 4, 2021, My mammogram showed a mass.  Within days I was back for another mammogram and an ultrasound.  From there to a biopsy... and the train kept rolling.  

I was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma ER/PR+, HER2 -.  My mass was estimated to be about 15 mm which they assured me was small.  It was deep so I had never been able to feel it.  Grade 2. It was recommended that I have a lumpectomy followed by  radiation and Aromatase Inhibitors. Of course, that would depend on my oncoscore and lymph node findings.  

From there I went to genetic counseling.  With my strong family history they were convinced there was a genetic connection.  Nope, after a complete blood test I did not match with ANY of the known markers. Too bad I didn't have any of the information from the other women in my family that had been through this so I could see and compare what they had.

June 11 brought the uneventful surgery.  The mass was slightly larger than they had expected 23 mm and they also removed 3 sentinel nodes.  I came home that afternoon with pain meds that I never opened and 2 pretty large incisions that were thankfully glued so I didn't need to deal with dressings and stitches.  Met with my surgeon for my 2 week follow up and was released to the radiology department. Text book perfect for this situation.  

At no point from the day of my first call back for the mammogram to the day they sent me home from surgery did I have any fear or worry about this outcome. (We won't discuss the aborted MRI's...I never knew I was claustrophobic but oh boy....that is an experience I will not repeat.)  It was found early, I had no sign of further involvement or migration, my oncoscore came back at 19 so I did not need chemotherapy and I am set for 20 radiation treatments. I was going to just move right on with my life.  

I joined a great facebook group Hormone Positive Breast Cancer Support , Talk about Warriors! These women rock.  We discuss everything and the support is great.  So many women had so much more difficult situations than I did that I figured I was rocking my world.  Then I went for my CT appointment for getting my radiation treatments.  That is when my world changed. There is more to breast cancer than the physical aspects. So I think that is where I will start my journey.  I think the back story I just summarized will end up being far less significant than what is to come.