From the beginning...

I found the lump when I was getting ready for bed. It was in the early morning hours on 3/18, I had stayed up late either watching tv or here online, I can't remember which. Everyone else was in bed already so I didn't wake Doug up, besides, it was in the middle of the night, what could be done anyway? Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep, had to get up for church, so there wasn't any sleeping in. I called my very own personal nurse (my sis, lol) as soon as I left church, begging her to just tell me that it could be a number of other things besides breast cancer, and she did just that! That eased my mind, and I came home to research "breast lumps" online to see what I could come up with. I remember reading on one site that 80% of breast lumps turn out to be a cyst with nothing to be concerned about, especially at my age. By the time Monday morning rolled around, I had read enough to convince myself that it was nothing serious and almost put off calling the dr. But, I did call, and they got me an appt set up for that Wed, which was 3/21.
Day of the appointment. Went back to the examination room, normal routine stuff. The exam itself was terrible, simply because I'm just not fond of the idea that somebody other than my husband is touching my breasts! But, anyway, she feels the lump too but is sure it's nothing more than a big ole fibrous cyst. Just because it's routine, she had me get an appointment with a surgeon for a 2nd opinion, and also an appointment for the dreaded mammogram. Just so happened that the diagnostics center in the lower floor of my dr's office had an opening the next morning, so I took it!
The morning of 3/22 I went in for the mammo. I really felt out of place, wasn't mammograms for older women? Not for a 29 yr old. How easy it was to tell myself that I didn't have cancer! Keep in mind that I was expecting to go in, have this mammo, and get back home before lunch and keep the little boy that comes to my house 3 days a wk. Was I ever so wrong! The worst thing I could have done was tell myself that it was NOT cancer, instead, I should have prepared myself either way. Anyway, took me back and done the mammogram on the left breast, made me sit in the waiting room with that stupid paper top on, and just let me tell ya, not very flattering on a chubby short girl! She finally came back, and this should have been where she says "ok, Mrs. Snapp, you're all ready to go now" but it wasn't. She took me back in to do the other breast and then informed me that another lady would be doing an ultrasound on the lump. Ok, wasn't expecting this, but fine, whatever. Had that done and when the us tech came back she told me that I needed to go back upstairs to talk to one of the dr's. At this point, I still wasn't thinking cancer, sure, it was a possibility, but I'm too young, remember!?!?! Ok, got dressed, went upstairs and didn't have to wait long at all. Went back to another room, a dr came in that I usually don't see, and he said it, almost anyway. He told me that the scans showed that it was highly suspicious of cancer. How dare him say that! I was ok, kinda, until he walked me up to the window where the lady was gonna get my appt set up with the surgeon was, then the tears were flowing! I wasn't sobbing or anything, but the tears were flowing like a river, and bless her heart, I could tell the lady felt sorry for me and she was a real sweetheart. I lucked up, there was an opening to see one of the surgeons that evening, but not for a few hours.
So here I am sitting in my car scared out of my mind, I'm alone, cause there was no reason for anyone to have had to go with me that day. Had to compose myself enough to be able to make a few phone calls, couldn't keep the little boy, had to see if there was somebody that could pick the kids up from school, and then I had to call my husband. I knew he would want to be with me, and I for sure wanted him to be with me!!!
Fast fwd to that evening, Kim took me back to the dr's office and Doug met us there. Went back, met Dr. Holt, now "my" surgeon, he had to do an exam and then proceeded to tell us that it was suspicious because of the size, 3-4cm, and the irregular shape of it. But, because there was no history of breast cancer in my family, I wasn't a smoker or a drinker, and I was only 29, he really didn't think it was cancer, that those two things were just red flags that needed to be checked out further and so I was given an appointment to have a biopsy. That was scheduled for 3/27. I'm gonna stop here, and will pick up tomorrow with that appointment.
Thanks so much for the prayers and well wishes, every one of them are appreciated!