I gave everyone as much warning as I could. I knew a few details that didn’t make it to the blog, that were relevant but just too personal. So there was a reason I was working so hard to wrap my head around an eventual diagnosis, and telling people not to ask me to pretend it would all be fine. By the time I was sitting in my doctor’s office, getting the specifics, I was calm and down to business.
There is still a ton I don’t know. I know that it is breast cancer, and that there is no “wait and see” on this one. As for all the kinds and values, I know some of it, but not what it all means. I will learn over the next two weeks, as I consult with a breast surgeon and an oncologist, separately.
This is invasive ductal carcinoma. It’s hormone receptor positive. The HER2 growth factor test takes time to run, and hasn’t come back yet. The worst result I have seen is for something that describes how aggressive it is, that indicates it is growing quickly. But on the other hand, we caught it very early. It seemed like it just suddenly showed up because it did. This is why you need to pay attention to your body, and get tests run as soon as you think it’s behaving badly. I started thinking I was overdue for a mammogram back in October, but didn't go until I noticed the lump in late January. That doesn't seem like much of a delay, but how much smaller would it have been had I gone before there were symptoms?
I can’t remember whether I wrote this part already on Wednesday. While I waited for tests to come back, I watched basketball with my neighbor. Barley the dog pouted at me, and I reassured him, “Don’t worry, Barley, Auntie is hard to kill.” It’s absolutely true. I have survived so much that ought to have taken me out. This will be just another hurdle that I will clear. Parts of it will suck, but I got this. Just watch.
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