Found A Lump - 1st Week of December 2013
About 2 months ago I had been adjusting my boobs while laying on my side. I felt a hard lump and I sat up quickly and started to give myself a breast exam. The lump was the size of a large grape - It felt hard, it moved around a little and there was ZERO pain. I started to heavily research and go google crazy. After reading "signs and symptoms" I thought there is no way this is a tumor. I should have a rash, this website says - I should have nipple discharge, says another website - and pain? There is no pain so I am good to go! It must be a cyst. Cysts were common with the women in my family, so I went about my business for almost 1 MONTH and thought nothing of the lump.
During a family Sunday dinner, I mentioned the lump to my mom and sister Alicia. My sister had a little scare the year prior when she found a lump and went through a core needle biopsy. The biopsy came back clear and the lump was just a cyst. I wanted her to feel mine so that she could compare to what had happened to her. I let them both feel the lump on the left side of my left breast and they both looked at me with wide eyes and worry. My lump was not the same as my sisters. I made a doctor appointment the next day and waited 1 MORE MONTH to see the doctor about a "cyst". During this time, the lump had almost seemed to grow larger. I didn't know if this was all in my head, or if it truly was growing.
On January 7, 2014 I met with a doctor at the local clinic. I had just started a new job in late November and did not have Health Insurance coverage going into effect until February. The doctor confirmed that there was in fact a lump. What a REVELATION this was! Please, tell me something I didn't know. He wanted to then do a needle biopsy to remove fluid and my immediate response was "absolutely NOT!" Mentally I could not wrap my head around a needle going into my breast, then bee bop to work after. OUCH! So I then was set up with an appointment at the St. Al's Breast Center in 10 DAYS.
Little did I know that on January 17th - 1 day after my oldest son's 7th birthday - would start a roller coaster ride of doctor visits, being poked and probed, smashed and squished. I sat there in the waiting room with Scott (my ex husband soon to be husband again - And that's another story in itself!) until I was called in for the breast exam. The nurse felt around with concern on her face and I was then taken to get my very 1st MAMMOGRAM. My amazing nurse Josie said with a comforting smile "You are now apart of the mammogram club!" Oh yay! Just what I have always wanted. One thing's for certain, everyone working at this "breast club" has the best attitude! They are all kind and funny and have sincere words with witty jokes to make you as comfortable as possible.
After the mammogram I was taken in for an ULTRASOUND. I was able to lay there and watch while the radiology tech scanned over my breast and snapped a hundred photos of the glorious egg - looking - thingy. Again, no symptoms, no tenderness, no pain, no rashes, no discharge. Nothing. The radiologist grabbed the doctor and I was about to experience the worst pain I have felt (to date that is).
DISCLAIMER of my Pain Tolerance Level - I have had two children, both were over 25 hours of labor. My 2nd child I had labored at home for over ten hours before heading to the hospital. I have had multiple tattoos in places that are "suppose to be the worst" spots - and still, none of that compared to the next test...
The doctor was able to squeeze me in for a CORE NEEDLE BIOPSY right away. She scanned over my little friend and then stopped at my armpit. She then found 2 larger than normal lymph nodes which is not good news. I was then prepped and ready to go for extraction. I had to lay there with my arm over my head for almost 45 minutes. The first part wasn't so bad. She numbed the crap out of the side of my breast and inserted this hollow needle with a spring loaded needle inside of it. I was able to watch on the ultrasound as she poked through the mass and POP, the spring loaded needle shot out and grabbed a sliver then retracted. She had taken 3 slivers from the mass and next were my lymph nodes. Now this. The doctor had to go through my armpit to get to the "hot" lymph nodes and it wasn't pretty. She numbed me up and started to make the incision with the scalpel - I FELT THAT!!!!!! She continued to numb me even more, but to no avail. It was finally said to me that I would have to just get through that part the old fashioned way, and so I did. The pain of the needle going in and retracting slivers was unlike anything I can compare to.
After the procedure I was taken to get yet another mammogram. At this point my thick, tall wall of kick ass mojo came crumbling down. I started to emotionally lose it. I knew something was wrong and then on top that I was now in pain. No one was talking to me about my little friend or gave any inkling as to how bad it was. ALL THIS FOR A CYST? I knew better.
I put my clothes back on and the pain started to kick in, in my left arm. The doctor had hit a nerve in my armpit and the ache and pain shooting through my arm and back was terrible. I chose not to go to work that day and instead spent it with Scott.
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