melsamei's Cancer Blog
September 5, 2007
| How it all started Part 1 | Views: 3728 |
It seems that I have never told my cancer story. On December 15, 2006 (I will never forget that date), I felt a large mass in my right breast. It was not painful and it appeared overnight. I was due for my annual mamogram/sonogram and I immediately called the doctor (a doctor specializing in diseases of the breast whom I had seen for 4 years). He could not take an appointment because he was leaving for the holidays and would not return until January. Very upset, I called my ob/gyn for an appointment. He saw me the next day, December 19, 2006. He ordered the mammogram/sonogram from another facility. I went the next day. I stayed for a biopsy and knew the results were not going to be good. I kept praying for a miracle and thanking God for health insurance. I finally got the results of my biopsy on December 27, 2006, invasive non-small cell carcinoma. My ob/gyn could not give me any comfort or advice, only to wait until the middle of January to see the breast specialist who did not catch this in the beginning. Finally, a ray of light. My dearest friends mother is a 20 year breast cancer survivor. I interrupted her Christmas holiday with my bad news. Within 20 minutes, she had an appointment for me at 8am the following day at U.T. Southwestern (a premier cancer facility in Dallas).
My mother drove in from Arkansas that night. My estranged husband, my mother, and I went to see an amazing doctor on December 28, 2006. I did not think she was very amazing at the time. I could not never get a straight answer to my question of “Am I going to survive?” Her reply was always let me run all the tests and make sure your cancer has not spread. The thought of cancer being anywhere else in my body had not occured to me until this point. It was too much to think about. I met an oncologist who completely sold me on the benefits of chemotherapy. I met an amazing breast cancer survivor/volunteer who answered a lot of my emotional questions and kept me busy with stories of breast cancer survivors with more severe symptoms than mine. I was at my appointment from 8am until 6pm. Meeting doctors, having tests, additional biopsies(my pathology report from the first biopsy was so poorly written that it had to be redone). Finally, I got to go home but how to tell my daughter. I had to tell my 9 year old daughter that I had an aggressive breast cancer. I am not a very emotional person and the task of telling her was the most emotional experience of my life. Being a trooper her only question was “Are you going to die?” To which I replied “NO!” From then on, she was part of the team and behind me every step of the way.
Part 2 later…....
How it all started Part 1, 
5 comments)
06.22.08 - 
Thanks for your support -
Melissa – What a story. I can sense the whirlwind and can relate. I remember trying to adjust to the first set of news, “you have cancer” and then being hammered with more news every time I met with the doctors, “the cancer might of spread”. And waiting for results, appointments, ugh!
Every word you wrote I knew what you were going through. I had breast cancer May 2006. It changes your life and your look at life. You sound like a very strong person.. Good for you
Yep I can relate.
Let us know how things are going so we can celebrate.
Hug Sherri
I am also a stage 3 and a grade breast ca….keep surviving amongst many issues…....
Most recent is the brittle diabetes I am dealing with at the present time…
Here are a couple of my stories ….......
http://diane.ponpines.com/your_stories/sylvia_c.html
and one on my son 6 mons before my diagnosis he was killed
http://www.geocities.com/ourangelboy10/dennis1.html
Also am a host in www.cancercarenetwork.com and a chat in spcn ….....
We have a few breast cancer wemen there …..
Sylvia
This may not help you now, but maybe it will help other women. There is a FDA approved methd of treating Breast Cancer that is much less invasive.
Here is a link to the discussion about this proven technique that was presented at the ACS convention recently:
http://www.facs.org/spring_meeting/2003/gs06dowlat.pdf
Warning.. this is a large but well worth it file.
There are two Doctors in the USA who specialize in specific LASER technique that reduces the overall cancer treatment to a simple outpatient procedure that KILLS cancer. using a specialized laser, they can kill the tumor inside the breast with no need for mastectomy.
You can reach Dr. Dowlat’s office in Chicago at:
312-397-1400
You can also research Dr. Steven Marks and the “Rodeo” procedure. I do not have current contact info.
Each of these Doctors have pioneered methods to kill cancer with the least invasive procedures. If you have or know anyone with breast cancer.. Pass this info to them.
Good luck, and may you save your breasts and your lives.