It all started because my foot hurt. For my running friends you will recognize this from Born to Run. The start of an adventure to be sure. Everything happens for a reason.
The doctor I had recently switched to told me to take up cycling when I took my problem to him. Yeah, like I’m going to listen to that. So I sent out a broadcast to all my running buds and asked for recommendations.
4th Avenue Physio won hands down as the place to go and if possible Gretchen as the one to see. Make my appointment, off I go, yes they can help and I get this awesome therapist named Suzanne. I get massages and ultra sound and then IMS. My therapist has a nick name “Queen of Pain”. It’s well earned (kidding) IMS (Intramuscular Stimulation) is … uncomfortable but works really, really well. Well, Suzanne has to take a break to fight with pneumonia and I end up seeing Gretchen after all. Very awesome lady. IMS continues. I mention that I need to switch doctors and want someone that is more understanding of runners and Gretchen suggests Dr. E. Stockenstrom. Sounds good, general practitioner and specialist in sports med. I don’t get to see him the first visit he’s away but the lady up front and the location are great. The locum was also very nice. He recommended a mammogram which I ignored. Long story for another day and time. That gave me 90 days before I needed to return. Return I did and had my interview with Dr. Stockenstrom to ensure a good fit. He agreed to take me on and gave me a very stern “go get the mammogram”. Now, I really liked him so I didn’t dig in my heels and tell him how I feel about these archaic practices but simply said yes and went home and made the appointment. The appointment I got was for September 22, 2010. Life carried on. That was on August 2, 2010.
August 18 – registered for the Weekend to End Women’s Cancers 2011
August 20 – got a call for a same day mammogram appointment (cancellation) at X-Ray 505
August 23 – message from the doctor’s office to call, nothing important.
August 25 – message from X-Ray 505, the mammogram showed an anomaly
Called and set up the appointment for mammogram in the morning, ultra sound in the afternoon on the 27th
Called the doctor and left a message stating same (that was why they had called me)
August 27 – second mammogram and ultra sound
This is where things really started to get interesting. I arrived at the building, got off the elevator on the 5th floor and there was water and damp everywhere. There was a drain backed up somewhere and it was flooding the floor I needed to be on and specifically the area I needed to get to.
I spoke with the desk and they were busy rescheduling folks but were sure they could get me in for the mammogram at least. I may not be so lucky on the ultra-sound. Not exactly what I wanted to hear at this point but not much I can do about it. Lady at the desk was listening, checked my file and assured me she would get me in. I can only think I was showing some strain at this point (no kidding)
I sit for about 5 minutes and get a call to cross the hall for the mammogram. Across we go and stop. Everything is turned off due to fear of an electrical shock, lots of water. Back we go and head to the desk to reschedule. Same lady is there, my face must have shown clearly how I was feeling, and she looked so concerned. I told her I would be okay. She said “wait” and ran away. Next comes what I believe is the administrator/manager at top speed, looks at me and says “wait”. Next thing I know I’m in another area for the mammogram and then straight to another area again for the ultra sound. My angel’s name is Laurie (hope I’m spelling it right)
Not the best news, there’s a lump of concern and some fluid, also of some concern. A core biopsy and a fine needle biopsy scheduled for the next Tuesday, August 30
August 30 – core biopsy & fine needle biopsy
My angel from the previous visit is there, Laurie but the flowers I had ordered to thank the ladies of X-Ray 505 weren’t. Or so I thought. Turns out the large spray of pink gladiolas that I ordered turned into a very small vase with a single gladiola with two small orchids. Not what I had in mind. The adventure is obviously continuing.
Dr. Gordon was the doctor doing the biopsies and she’s amazing. During conversation I had a chance to tell her about my awesome doctor and recommend him. The fluid was simply a cyst and it disappeared as soon as the fluid was removed. She was not very worried about that part. The lump got 3 or 4 samples taken and no way to tell up front if there was any issue with that/them.
I was due to go away the following week and Dr. Gordon suggested I still do the same as it would take 10 days to get the results back
Called my own doctor and setup an appointment for the day we get back from vacation
Contacted the florist and explained the situation and why it had to be pink. They and their affiliate that actually filled the order went out of their way to buy the gladiolas in pink and send them along with an apology to XRay 505. Now that's service!
September 4 to 12 – vacation!
Awesome vacation. Drove to Prince George on the first day, was my first time in our Explorer on a long trip and it was great. Had pork tenderloin and buns with us for lunch and dinner. Very tasty but of course David cooked the tenderloin so it was no surprise it tasted great.
Arrived at our destination on the Sunday, crashed/napped as soon as we got in. Little bit of rain the first day or two but then it was great weather. Warm, sunny during the day with the occasional shower during the day or overnight. Overnight was cool, we even had frost one night.
Hung out with the dogs mostly, read my book and relaxed. David did some fishing and Jake went with him each time to swim in the river and then came back up with me at the house. We went to town enough times that I scored three Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes. I’m glad they’re not around all year or I would weigh a lot more.
Did not think about the results too much but it was there in the background. Did NOT ruin my vacation, may even have enhanced it
September 13 – appointment with surgeon/oncologist Dr. Noelle Davis
I couldn’t get to see my doctor prior to seeing Dr. Davis due to circumstances beyond his control (and believe me they tried everything they could to make it up to me and apologize for the way things worked out)
One of the first things I noticed was the sign saying “Oncology”. Well, no surprise there. If that wasn’t the case, I wouldn’t be seeing a specialist.
Dr. Davis gave me the news that the lump was cancer, very apologetic, sorry that it wasn’t my own doctor giving me the news. I think she was more upset by the news than I was.
We worked out the plan, got the appointment set for September 27th but no time as yet. First would be a radioactive injection (sentinel lymph node biopsy) and scan at one location. Then boogie over to the BC Cancer Agency for the lymph node removal and lumpectomy (they’re three blocks apart)
In the meantime, chest x-ray and blood tests. Back to X-Ray 505
September 15 – X-ray done, blood work done, ECG done
September 16 – Visit with my own doctor to do mutual updates
September 17 – Nancy from Dr. Davis’s office phones and gives me the schedule for September 27th
7:30am - dye injection
8:30am - sentinel lymph node surgery
9:30am – lumpectomy
Part two of this tale to be told sometime after surgery. Main reason for this tale of adventure? I thought we were out of the dark ages but when I see the reaction people have to the phrase "breast cancer" I'm not so sure. Makes me want to shout "Hey, guys, I have a lump, the nice doctor is going to make it go away and stay away" This is not the journey my mother went through in 1952. It's DAY SURGERY for Pete's sake. We have come so far. My treatment plan as laid out is an affirmation of every donation given to breast cancer research. I don't want cancer, no one would but to have this happen and be able to compare my treatment to what I know happened 57 years ago - it's amazing. It makes one feel blessed and I do NOT use that term lightly or frequently. I even have the doctor's blessing to walk the CIBC Run for the Cure 5km event the Sunday following surgery.
