First Visit with my new Surgeon

Day Twenty-five – Monday

My appointment to see the “boob” doctor was at 4:30, so Randy and I hung out and tried not to show each other just how nervous we really were. I had already filled out the paperwork and the doctor had already ordered my test results, so everything was in place for our first conversation with the man who would be taking care of me.

It went well. We both like him. He is thorough, understanding, and talks a mile a minute. But he explains everything in laymen’s terms – in a way that we both don’t feel stupid. He does a breast and lymph node exam (he warmed up his hands before he did the exam) and then another sonogram. Then we talk. Well he talks, we listen, we ask questions, he answers them.

Here’s what we know for sure:

1.       The core biopsy on the calcifications shows a small focus of atypical duct hyperplasia and are suspicious for a microscopic focus of ductal carcinoma in-situ.  In other words, probably cancer, but a very low staging, like a 0.

2.       The left breast mass show infiltrating ductal carcinoma of breast, measures 5MM, involves 3 of 4 cores submitted, Nottingham histologic grade III of III, Modified Black’s nuclear grade 3 of 3. In other words, this cancer is an angry one.

3.       The HER2/NEU test is not back yet. I don’t know much about this, but apparently it will decide if I need chemotherapy or not. (Internet research needs to be done on my part, so I understand more.)

4.       The doctor says he knows that doing a lumpectomy will not be successful as there are 3 separate sites. Even though he didn’t say it, we are convinced that I will be having a Mastectomy.

5.       The possibility of a double Mastectomy and reconstruction still exists because of my history with cancer. I like to refer to this procedure as an “Angelina Jolie” because it is more preventative than anything else.

6.       The doctor wants an MRI which scares me more than anything because I am ubberclaustrophobic and, since I will be lying on my stomach, they won’t just sedate me for it. Oh, goodie!

7.       He also wants me to see an oncologist because of my history and to get that person on the team early in case we need to have chemo and to see if there are any other tests that need to be done.

So, now I wait for phone calls and appointments to be made. I will do some more research.

Randy leaves tomorrow for work and I’m not sure when he’ll return. Our next appointment with the “boob” doctor is January 20^th. Hopefully, he’ll have all his answers so we can all make a decision as to how to proceed.