Rocki vs Breast Cancer - round 1

Let me first start out with saying that I am okay.  However, since last Thursday Mark and I have been dealing with the unknown and yesterday I received the diagnosis - breast cancer.  After talking with my family I decided that I was not going to be shy about it, so here I am loud and clear.

So how was it discovered?  Well, I had an itch and felt a new little lump in my left breast so the next day called the doc to make sure.  Okay...Mark MADE me call.  I was hesitant because I figured it was just another one of those cysts that I get (fibrocystic breast).   My doc got me in quick... I'll try to condense this part: after the exam I was sent for a Mammogram, that was Thursday Aug. 9th.  On that day I had 2 separate mammograms plus an ultrasound.  Long day.  Conclusion: lump was nothing so lefty was ok, but I was told that I had multiple clusters of microcalcifications in my right breast.  I had no idea what that was, but was told I needed a breast needle biopsy to rule out cancer and that was scheduled on Tuesday morning. THAT, my friends, was not fun.  After being shown all the clusters on the mammogram, I swallowed hard.

Before jumping to yesterday's shocker, I have to share a couple things.  On the day of driving to my mammo the car in front of me had a breast cancer awareness ribbon license plate.  Kind of funny I thought.  The same thing happened to Mark on his way home that day when I told him the results of the mammo.  Ever since then, every where we go there's the big ol' pink ribbon.  Plus on the day of my biopsy, none of our kids (dogs) would eat breakfast and Maelyn just stared at me with sad eyes while I got ready to go.  Just to note, Mark & I have discussed the elephant in the room all week from every angle - through tears, logic and hope.  "Plan for the worst, hope for the best" as they say.  I think the not knowing was the worst part.

Okay so back to yesterday... which by the way sucked, to be honest.  Just waiting to find out whether or not it was the big C was nerve racking, to say the least.  I'll shorten this part - so I was told that I have Severe High Grade 3 Ductal Carcinoma in situ (Solid Type) in multiple locations of right breast.  There are 3 grades of DCIS before becoming invasive (spreading): low (1), moderate (2) and high (3).  Anyway, it's bad/good news, so to speak.  The bad is the obvious, but right now the good is that it is not yet invasive.  Here's a short blurp about it from breastcancer.org:

In the high-grade pattern, DCIS cells tend to grow more quickly and look much different from normal, healthy breast cells. People with high-grade DCIS have a higher risk of invasive cancer, either when the DCIS is diagnosed or at some point in the future. They also have an increased risk of the cancer coming back earlier — within the first 5 years rather than after 5 years.

Jumping again...my doc made the surgeon appoint which is this coming Monday.  I'll get more info there, but apparently surgery will definitely happen - but I do NOT want radiation or chemo!  To be honest, if one goes, so does the other and I'm absolutley fine with that.

I have my boxing gloves on again and coming out swinging!  This isn't the first time I've had a life altering event that I won - they don't call me Rocki for nothin.  Trust me when I say I'm okay.  I have a great support system with my loving and supportive family and friends.

Peace and love,
Rocki