My Journey to Health, continued

July 17, 2008 I prepare to go in for an annual physical. It had been 2 1/2 years since I had seen a doctor. I have been so healthy and considered myself low risk for any major illness. I had been a vegetarian for 42 years and a vegan for the last 10 years. Martin and I were "Health Mnisters" and had gone through the training at Hallelujah Acres in South Carolina twice and had attended the CHIP (Coronary Health Improvement Project) training also. We followed a very healthy nutritional program. Even so, I had struggled with obesity most of my life. I also was not one to exercise. I certainly was not a "couch potato" but did not do intentional exercise. When we retired in December of 2006 we moved from Pocatello, ID to Salt Lake City, UT so I could be Nanny to our grandchildren. Our daughter, a physician and her attorney husband had 2 girls ages 5 and 8. They were in the process of adopting 2 children from an orphanage in Haiti. The little boy came home in January of 2007 and the little girl came home in June of 2007. They were 1 1/2 and 3 1/2 when they came home. I worked 10 1/2 hours a day 5 days a week. I cherished every moment with the grandchildren and felt so blessed to be able to care for them and love them like only a grandma could. I am a hard worker and worked hard caring for the children and doing some housework and some cooking.
When I went in to see the doctor she asked if I had brought in my prescription bottles - remember she is a doctor who only sees senior citizens and she is used to them being on many medications. I told her I was not taking any medications and that I was very healthy. Then she asked me if I had any pain anyplace - joint pain, etc. I told her I had no pain. That I felt very well and that I had just come in because I needed to have a doctor just in case of an emergency and that medicare covered one physical. I shared with her my lifestyle and that I was very healthy for a 65 year old woman. She did a simple exam and also a manual breast exam. She felt a "pea"size lump on the left breast and so she wanted me to go to the "diagnostic" mammogram cancer center for a mammogram.

The day after I saw Dr. Joseph we headed for the Oregon Coast for a weeks vacation at the beach and a family reunion. I couldn't even feel what Dr. Joseph felt in my breast so I wasn't very concerned.

I made the appointment for the mammogram on August 8, 2008. We were planning to leave in the afternoon for a weekend trip to Bear Lake to meet with some friends from Pocatello for a weekend campout.

I arrived early for the mammogram and at that time did not realize the difference between a "diagnostic" mammogram and a "routine" mammogram. As I sat in the waiting room with probably about 8 -10 other women I realized that each of them there had been called back in as something had shown on their "regular" mammogram. I must say it was a very depressing place to be as everyone had fear in their eyes and voices.

I was called in for the mammogram and the technician was great. She was communicative about what she was doing and let me look at the digital pictures of my breast on the computer screen. There was nothing where Dr. Joseph had felt the pea size lump, but there was something that was of concern in another part of the same breast. It showed up very clearly and even so I wasn't real concerned as I have always had fibrocystic breast and just figured it was a benign lump. I had had to breast biopsy's in the past and they were just fine.

The radiologist was concerned enough that he called Dr. Joseph and requested permission to go ahead and do an ultra sound immediately. So I waited a bit until they could work me in and do the ultra sound. He again found the suspicious spot and told me he wanted me to come back the first of the week for a needle biopsy. I told him I would let him know when I could come as my schedule was busy and I would need to take some time off to have the biopsy. I told him I was a nanny for our daughter and she was a doctor and would want me to get in as soon as possible so I would call and let him know when I could come. Then he said, no, I want to do the biopsy NOW. So I waited a while longer and he then did the biopsy. He told me he was 95% sure it was a malignancy. It concerned me some, but I was still so sure I was low risk I didn't think too much of it. The Radiologist said they would have the results the next Tuesday - August 12th.

When I left the hospital I went home and we then headed to Bear Lake for the weekend. I have to admit that it was on my mind most of the weekend. I only told one person that weekend about my concern.

When one is facing a potential malignancy it is easy to be overcome with fear. Even so I had a great weekend with great people and I did not allow myself to dwell on what may be down the road for me.