A Cancer Chronology

Over the past two years, I've been preoccupied with what, at many times, is debilitating hip pain. I've always known it is not the end of the world in the large scheme of medical things that you can have wrong with you, but it has nonetheless zapped me of a lot of energy and really affected my quality of life. The pain has been so all-consuming that I unfortunately neglected other aspects of my health, and in April of 2015, I - sort of by accident, or intervention from God (whatever you believe) - discovered a lump in my breast. My friends convinced me I was way too young to have breast cancer, and besides, Asian people don't get breast cancer. Even my overly protective and worrywart husband wasn't at all concerned. However, Dr. Google told me I should be. So I was. And it turns out that Dr. Google knows what s/he is doing (some of the time, anyway), and so do I (some of the time, anyway).

• On April 21, 2015, I went in for a diagnostic mammogram, which confirmed that the lump in my breast was not a cyst; it was a 'solid mass' ( = euphemism for tumor). 
• On April 29, 2015, I had a biospy and another mammogram. 
• On May 1, 2015, my primary care physician called me to let me know that I indeed had cancer, an invasive ductal carcinoma. 
• On May 6, 2015, I had an appointment with a surgeon, who did another ultrasound and a biopsied a suspicious lymph node. I also had a chest X-ray and chest CT with iodine contrast, and a blood draw. The theme seemed to be cautious optimism. 
• On May 11, 2015, I had an MRI of my breasts. (It's a weird experience, trust me.)
• On May 12, 2015, I had a PET scan of my entire thoracic and abdominal region, and also met with a genetic counselor.
• On May 13, 2015, I met with a medical oncologist/hematologist. She wasn't a very cheery sort; definitely no warm fuzzies or cautious optimism!
• On May 18, 2015, I had a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy.
• On May 22, 2015, I got the results from the pathology report from the lumpectomy. All signs point toward cautious optimism being the appropriate mood, although unfortunately, my surgeon said I need another surgery.
• On June 1, 2015, I met with a different medical oncologist/hematologist who was absolutely fabulous.
• On June 17, 2015, I had a re-excision lumpectomy. Immediately after surgery, my surgeon went on vacation. (This was planned.)
• On June 23, 2015, my surgeon's nurse practitioner called to tell me that despite having only one positive margin from my first surgery, the second surgery yielded three margins that were either positive to 'too close.' 
• On June 25, 2015, I met with a radiation oncologist and my medical oncologist, both of whom counseled me to to have a mastectomy.
• On June 27, 2015, we left town for a two-week vacation. We had all been so sure that this second surgery would yield good results, the plan was for me to heal from surgery #2, then return and start radiation therapy.
• I somewhat enjoyed 'getting away' for two weeks, although with the mastectomy looming, and no 'real' information about it, it was difficult.
• We returned home on July 11th, and on July 15, 2015, I met with a surgical oncologist and plastic surgeon to discuss reconstruction options, and tentatively planned a mastectomy with reconstruction for early August.
• I had a mastectomy + reconstruction planned for August 26, 2015. However, on August 24th, my plastic surgeon called to tell me that he had hurt his eye, and would be unable to do the surgery.
• After much ado, I had a unilateral mastectomy on September 1, 2015.
• On September 8, 2015, I had DIEP reconstruction.

And now... I'm waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Learning to wait is part of deal, apparently.

* * * * *

Cancer statistics:
Type of cancer: Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) + extensive ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
Tumor size: 1.35 cm

Stage: IA
Tumor grade: G2
Receptors: ER+ (90%), PR+ (95%), HER2-
Ki-67: 11%, intermediate