4: Results Day

August 19, 2105/ Wednesday

I was given the 4:30 time for my appointment to given my results. Working at the CCC I knew that by given the last appointment it would allow the doctor more time with me and my family in case the results came back positive. Deep down I had a gut feeling that this was going to be positive……….I did not share this with my husband.

Wednesday morning when I woke up I remember forgetting everything that was happening to me. Then it all comes back to you, I had to wait till 10:30 to take a shower (24 hrs after a BX). I somehow managed to forget to pack the button front top I bought for this special occasion. I purchased two button front tops, one for biopsy day, the other for results day. Button front tops are recommended so that you do not lift your arms up over your head after the biopsy. I didn’t want to wear the same top, so off we went for a little “retail therapy” at TJ Maxx, Yucaipa. After all I am a “fashionista”….LOL!

Driving to Palm Springs, staring out the window I was praying that if it had to be a cancer please let it be DCIS, Ductal Carcinoma In situ. We arrived, Dr. Lander was a little behind with her busy patient load, but that was okay because it allowed me to visit with some of my coworkers from the Cancer Center.

I was taken back alone first  my entourage: Jack (husband), Cisco (son), Jacquelyn (daughter) and niece (Elena). A wound check is done of the biopsy site, so there I am again laying on that table on the receiving end, I would sometimes be doing the wound check on patients when I used to work here. This was also when Dr. Lander, the doctor that I loved assisting with biopsies while working here had the daunting task of telling me I had Breast Cancer! I don’t remember the exact conversation. I remember her soft voice, I remember the look in her eyes. I did not burst into to tears, I actually to this day have not cried! I think I was numb, when she told me that it was not DCIS. I was IDCA, Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma! I believe I cursed after hearing that. I asked about the lymph node, it too was positive, Metastatic infiltrating Duct Carcinoma! Oh CRAP!!!!!!…………………i did not cry…………..I remember getting really mad? Never would I have thought that those words would be told to me.

For the next two and a half hours we sat in the manager’s office, Dr. Lee, one of the Cancer Centers breast surgeons joined the meeting. The doctors went over the results with my family. The pathology report that comes back next day, is a preliminary report pending hormone receptors and prognostic indicators. So, the doctors went over the different scenarios of treatment. Dr. Lee took the time to write all this down for me, both doctors explained everything and allowed for questions………….I was numb but needed to stay focused. Occasionally my mother would come to mind, this is going to devastate her. I was given a pamphlet ” A Woman’s Guide to Breast Cancer Treatment”. I actually told Dr. Lander where she could find it, I used to hand this out to patients during positive results. The Cancer Center does have Medical Assistants that assist with results, but on occasion a Technologist would this.

The doctors also discussed the Breast MRI and PET/CT scan that were crucial to do. Again words cannot describe how grateful I am for this Cancer Center. My profile team was hard at work to get authorizations for these scans before I went back to Maui. I was scheduled to fly out of Cali on Sunday the 23rd. I was also given a list of specialist on Oahu  provided Dr. J. Pearce. The radiologists, Dr. Pearce used to work in Oahu prior to coming to the Cancer Center, I assisted him as well with procedures……love this doc!

The main thing that I got out of this meeting was that I should have neoadjuvant therapy prior to surgery. When they mentioned the chemo treatment “Perjeta” I was familiar with that treatment due to the fact that was what they were going to offer my sister.