What We Know

Hi, Loves. I want to let you know what I know, which is both good and frustrating, per ususal. So yesterday I went for the breast ultrasound at the big clinic downtown. I had an entourage that rivals Diddy's with my mom, dad, one sister, and boyfriend. Wellington wanted to come but apparently they frown on live animals in hospital settings.

They got me back pretty quickly (remarkable, let me assure you) and gowned me up. The radiology nurse/technician (I don't know, I didn't ask for credentials...she could have been the barrista from the coffee shop in the lobby) took me back to a room where I was asked a few preliminary questions and then had the awkward assignment of lying down (exposed, if you will) while she began the ultrasound. She found the lump/nodule/whatever you want to call it, and took some lovely snapshots on the ultrasound screen (hello, Christmas card picture). I, naturally, asked a million questions because I am not satisfied to simply lie there obediently and keep quiet. She took it in stride, though. She told me if this is what she was "almost positive" it is then there would likely be some other little nodules. She used some metaphor of like "this little guy likes to have a party and bring a bunch of his friends"... Yeah, not my kind of party either. So she ultrasounded (new word for today) me all over and in the under arm area, but none of "his friends" had RSVP'd I guess. So then she says, "Well, there isn't always more than one..." Hm.

So then the radiologist came in and he did a similar look around with the ultrasound and said that he also thought it was a pretty typical, run of the mill-type of lump that people get called a fibrous adenoma. Sounded pretty legit to me, and he said he was going to pop over to his office where the fancier imaging is (higher resolution, more mega-pixels or what have you), and he'd be right back. While we was gone, the nurse/tech and I chatted and she assured me that there wouldn't be biopsy, etc. and they would schedule me for 6 month follow-up for the next couple of years, and so on.

Then the radiologist came back in and said, "Well..." and the nurse/tech said, "I know what that means". And guess what? I did too. I've heard enough of those "Well"s to know that things weren't what he had expected in some way. Apparently the max size of these fibrous adenomas is 25mm, but little old special me--mine was 27mm. So given that it is larger than "normal" ones... and then he said my three least favorite words: "With your history...". But I know it's better safe than sorry and I didn't complain. However those three words are also what resulted in a colonoscopy for me when I was 18, so you can imagine my displeasure at their mention.

So the two of them got all the supplies ready and he explained what they were going to do: use the ultrasound to mark lines of where they should go in, numb me up with some lidocaine, prod a little bit in the place, make a "skin nick" so the biopsier (also a new word) could get in there, then take 5 tissue samples of the area, and patch me up. They did all of these things and it did not hurt (I actually prefer it to those 2 hour liver MRIs they've been doing on me--how weird to have a "preference" of medical testing). The strange part (though also interesting) was that I could see exactly what was happening via the live ultrasound monitor. In fact, as I watched the "feed" if you will, it was like "Live! From Casey's Breast!". While there was no special guest performance or anything, it was still rather fascinating.

At the end of the biopsy-ing (given up with actual words and just going with my own at this point), he tells me that they are going to put a titanium clip into the nodule so that when I ever have a mammogram, whoever does it will see it and know that there has been a biopsy there. I suppose it's the equivalent of writing "Dr. F waz here" or something. Fret not, though, this clip is miniscule and I will have no trouble going through airport security, so they tell me. But the silliest thing was that right before he did the clip thing he said "Okay, I am deploying the clip". I naturally started giggling and said, "Did you just say you were about to deploy the clip??". He kind of gave a laugh to and said it again in a mocking voice (but apparently you're supposed to be pretty still during these things so I don't think he was thrilled that I was giggling). And I told him, "That is the most ridiculous expression I have ever heard." It made it sound like he was about to drop 2 tons of emergency supplies into my breast, isolated by a Berlin wall-type structure. But it was not nearly as dramatic as all that, and within about an hour the whole process was complete.

They are sending the biopsy to pathology (and let me just tell you, breast tissue (or at least whateve they pulled out of me is gross-looking). And we should have results on Monday. The radiologist said he isn't worried, this is more of just standard procedure, and I am not too worried either. More just achy and sore and tired and mildly (depending on who you ask) irritable. I received instructions on how to deal with the bandages and not to lift anything heavier than a gallon on milk (which, as Patrick pointed out, means I cannot lift my backpack), and some other things. But my older sister took me to Yogurt Mountain and Patrick brought me some yummy dinner, so I am very blessed and happy to be so well-taken care of.

And you all, with your sweet and kind and thoughtful messages and calls and emails; I can't thank you enough! Your prayers are definitely being heard, and I could not be more appreciative. I will let you know as soon as we know anything, and hopefully I'll be able to shoot out a blog over the weekend. In the meantime, it's back to the books for me. Love you!

C