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The Call

There are some things we think only happen to others - cancer is one of them. When I went in for my routine mammogram on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 I did not expect to be in treatment for years to come.


I was not concerned when I received a phone call saying they needed to do an ultrasound on my right breast as there was a mass they wanted to look at more closely. This happened once before and it turned out to be a benign cyst. I have many fatty cysts (lipomas) and assumed this would be the same thing.


July 26 I went in for the ultrasound. It was not until the technician brought in a doctor I got concerned. It turned out to be not a lump, but a spiculated mass. My understanding is that it is sort of shaped like seaweed, flat with offshoots. This was not your normal cyst. The doctor wanted me to get a biopsy. This was not the news I expected.


The next day, Thursday, July 27, I went in for a needle biopsy. Craig, my husband took the afternoon off so he could take me there and home. Everyone who worked at the medical center where I had it done was very nice and upbeat. This was needed as I was very nervous.


That weekend our two oldest granddaughters came to stay with us for one week. We had planned to do some fun things with them. The timing could not have been better for me as they kept my mind off the potential of breast cancer. It probably was not as fun for them, because the thought of cancer still came creeping back.


I was told the results from the biopsy would be back in five to seven business days, so I did not think the doctor would get back to me until August 3-4. This is the reason we scheduled a day trip on Tuesday, August 1. 


As soon as we arrived at our destination and started walking toward the restaurant my phone rang. It was my doctor. He said he was very sorry, but the biopsy was positive for cancer. I froze. Craig understood what happened and our granddaughters were there. They were teenagers and had been told about the possibility. Now they were the first in our family to find out.


I am glad we had kept our children updated, but it was still difficult to tell them. It’s not the kind of news you like to give your family.

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