Moment With Mel: Cancer Can Get Bent
A few weeks ago I wrote a blog titled “Mel’s PSA of the Day; Schedule your Mammogram”. I missed my mammogram last year. When I had one done this year, it came back suspicious. I had a biopsy on my left breast and I got the results last week. They weren’t good.
I have breast cancer. Just typing that is making my eyes tear up. It’s in my left breast. It’s a crazy thing to wrap your head around. I know so many of you understand the feeling of hearing you have cancer. You hear what the doctor is saying, but you feel like you’re in another world. There are so many emotions that immediately overwhelm you and your head starts spinning. You try to focus on what the doctor is saying but the thoughts in your head become blurry. It’s mind-boggling.
After hearing my cancer diagnosis, an appointment was immediately made with a surgeon. Again, head spins. I found out I had cancer Wednesday, and Thursday morning I’m talking to a surgeon. Crying isn’t something I do a lot, but I’ll admit I broke down a bit while talking to the surgeon. While I’m still trying to wrap my head around the word cancer, the surgeon is laying out my options and going over my test results. She’s drawing graphs and talking percentages, and I’m sitting there thinking, what the hell?!
The pathology showed that I have invasive ductal carcinoma. Luckily the spot is small. I have to have surgery in July followed by radiation five days a week for a month. The lumpectomy will remove the cancerous tumor and a few lymph nodes will be removed as well. As of right now, I’m still unsure about chemo. Other tests are being done on my Her2 receptor. This receptor is supposed to be a negative number, and mine showed up positive.
Explaining science isn’t something I can do well. The surgeon gave me a breast cancer handbook, and I just haven’t been able to bring myself to read it yet. I’ve Googled some things, but there is still a lot I need to learn. I do know that I have the most common and curable form of breast cancer, so that’s a bonus!
This past year has been hard for me physically. I was diagnosed with Lupus last spring, I had C2-C7 spinal fusion surgery, which almost killed me. I got a staph infection that was hardcore, and I’m on antibiotics until 2022. As if that wasn’t enough, my pap smear came back suspicious and I have to have a cervical biopsy on June 15. Seriously?! UGH!
IF I have cervical cancer along with breast cancer, I’m hoping they can knock it all out at once. I mean, if I gotta have radiation they might as well hit both places! For years my friends have called me “the bubble girl” and I’m starting to think they are right! Maybe a bubble is what I need!
Writing this blog isn’t a way for me to whine. Well, maybe a little. LOL! Yesterday a neighbor of mine stopped me and said that she saw my original “PSA of the Day” and it encouraged her to schedule a mammogram. She said it’s been three years since she’s had one, and because of my blog, she scheduled one.
I decided to share my cancer diagnosis hoping that it will encourage others to schedule mammograms. If one person is helped, then it’s so worth it! Moving forward, Phil & I will talk periodically about what happens and how things are going. Know that humor will be used as that’s how I deal with things. Laughing stops me from crying!
To say I’m stressed is putting it mildly. I’m worried about so many things. Since my immune system is already compromised, I worry about how it will react to radiation and possibly chemo. I worry about missing work, although Jack, Phil, and everyone at Beasley have been truly amazing! I worry about becoming more in debt due to medical bills as I’m still paying on bills from neck surgery. I worry about how I’ll look after surgery and if there will be a noticeable difference with my breasts. I worry about…..and the list goes on and on.
We’ve all heard the saying, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” I’m wondering how strong I’m supposed to be! What am I, a superhero? I’m a tough chick but even strong women get tired. My body is just tired. That said, I’m a fighter and that’s what I’ll do: I’ll fight. Cancer can GET BENT!
Although this is quite personal, I’m sharing to remind you to take care of yourself. I also know I’m not alone and that so many women have walked this path I’m now on. Encourage your friends and family members to have yearly check-ups. Early detection is key and if this helps just one person, then sharing my journey is worth it. My family and my friends are in my corner and I’m lucky I have such an amazing support system.
If you’re reading this and haven’t had a check-up in a while, call your doctor today! Please and thank you!
