January 20th, I went back to Gonda 2 for the biopsy which I was their first test that morning. The radiologist did 4 biopsies on my lymph nodes and 4 or 5 on the lump. This went as well as to be expected. The radiologist, ultrasound tech and nurses that assisted were very caring and keep me at ease during the whole test. I also said quite a few prayers which helped calm me. They told me that it would be 2 business days before the biopsy results would be back so that would be late Monday or Tuesday of the next week...that’s a long wait when your anxious for the results.
Later that afternoon I received a call from Heather Carrico as she was watching my test results. She told me that the results were back already from the biopsies that were done on the lymph nodes. The findings were consistent with metastatic breast carcinoma. Again...I was stunned and to top it off I was home along, ughhhh!.
She asked me if I had any questions and it took all of my being to say that I was really just trying to take it all in, without breaking down. She explained that she had scheduled to have me seen in the Breast Clinic on January 27th and that an appointment was made to see a surgeon on February 8th.
After the phone call from Heather, I knew that I had to tell someone so I called my husband at work to tell him the news. This was the hardest thing that I've ever had to do and in hindsight probably not the greatest decision that I've made. Can you imagine how he must have felt!!! Unfortunately, my poor son-in-law, Justin, just returned home and was down in the kitchen. I went down to the kitchen and he asked me how it was going...I could hardly speak but somehow got the words out that I had just learned that I had metastatic breast cancer at which point I had a little meltdown. I could see the look in Justin's eyes as to what he should do with his mother-in-law who was standing there crying her eyes out. He was a true trooper...hugs are always good! Thanks for being there Justin!
Also on Friday I felt compelled to phone my Mom (who is 84 years old) and give her the news. Again, this is not an easy conversation to tell your Mom that one of her daughters has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She was very taken aback and offered her prayers and hope for my recovery. I love my Mom, she is the sweetest person! I then phoned Don's parents who are now down in Texas for a few months. I haven't known my mother-in-law to not have words to speak but this was one of those times where I think she was really speechless. She too was very caring and concerned and offered her prayers. I love them both so much too. Now I was trying to figure out how to tell my siblings. I thought, I should probably call them all but after I phoned my sister Mary, I couldn't find it in me to have to phone the rest of them so I sent them all an email. Again probably not the best way to tell someone about this but it was the best I could do at that point. This day proved to be the longest day EVER!! Don, bless his heart, contacted the rest of his family and friends to give them the news.
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