Let's get Everyone up to Speed

A condensed timeline of events, let's go!

12.30.2011 - Head to the hospital for my first diagnostic ultrasound ever.  After said ultrasound, I'm told to wait around for the doctor.  They then decide that maybe I should have a mammogram for both of my breasts, and I think, why not indeed?  Afterwards, I get to change and wait for the doctor.  Doctor comes in and I am told that I have intraductal papilloma with some calcifications.  What I hear, "it's not cancerous, so no big thing.  You'll get it removed and all will be well."  He can't do a biopsy on it because of the location.

01.05.2012 - I meet with a breast surgeon who explains the procedure for the papilloma surgery.  It doesn't sound too bad.  I won't have any noticeable scarring and I can be on my way.  But wait!  Doctor feels something on my neck.  I tell her I have a cervical rib.  She thinks it may be a lymph node and wants it checked out tomorrow.  Fine.  I know it's just my rib, but OK...

01.06.2012 - The ultrasound of my neck comes up clear.  I'm heading out the door to finally go back to work.  But wait!  A new doctor stops me to tell me that she can indeed do a fine needle biopsy.  She shows me my mammogram and even I can see that it just does not look right.  The little calcifications that I thought were all over my breast, are actually in a little row, like little ducklings right behind my nipple.  That can't be good can it?  Turns out it isn't good, and the fine needle biopsy comes back positive for cancer.  A genetic counselor is brought in and I offer up my spit in exchange for BRCA results.

01.09.2012 - Breast MRI.  It's all clear.  Whew.  Looks like the cancer is contained and hasn't spread.

01.11.2012 - Two more fine needle biopsies on a mass of dense tissue in my breast and one of my lymph nodes.  I am more concerned about my lymph nodes as I've already decided to get a double mastectomy no matter what.  The two fine needle biopsies come back clear.

01.16.2012 - I meet with a new breast surgeon.  I really like her.  She goes in to much more detail and explains that what I have may be DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ).  If this is true, that means I have Stage 0 Breast Cancer.  That works for me.  If I have to have breast cancer I'd like it to be Stage 0.  If it is DCIS that also means it is contained.  Contained is good too.  We'll just cut that baby off and be on our way.  Hopefully no radiation or chemo will be needed!  I have a core biopsy done to check the tissue around the area.  The doctor was hoping to get some of the calcifications too.  No luck.  And now my poor boob is bruised like whoa. 

01.18.2012 - The genetic counselor calls me and it turns out that I am negative for the BRCA-1 gene, BUT positive for the BRCA-2 gene.  This just solidifies in my mind all along what I was already thinking - double mastectomy.

I think that gets everyone up to date.  I'm sure I've left things out, but the timeline would be pages and pages if I went into detail.  Now I have meetings with plastic surgeons and one more with my breast surgeon.  I have a feeling this is the worst part of the diagnosis... once I have the surgery set up I'm just going to go with the flow.

- J.