First of all, the news. My sister is BRCA 1 & 2 negative!!!
This is very good news because mainly, it means I'm probably also negative. I did contact a lab here in Strasbourg and they gave me the name of their geneticist. Yeah! But I'm more happy for my sister because a BRCA gene can mean some hard Angela Jolie-type decisions to make. Women with the gene have to be more vigorously monitored and/or have various female parts removed, and are usually given a choice as to how they want to proceed.
BRCA is associated with some of the more aggressive forms of BC and mine's pretty ordinary. But what's looming is that there's the possibility of other genes being discovered in the future. BRCA's are only a tiny percentage of BC but I have to consider the fact that my daughters, even if I too, am negative for this, could find that we have yet-another gene in our DNA somewhere. Maybe I didn't pass it on, if I have one?
I still will do the test, more for the fact I do have two daughters who are probably going to have to be checked like I have been, gene found or not.
So far, I don't have my pathology report. It should arrive today with the Rx for Physical Therapy. So far, the only cases of lymphedema are in more serious BC patients. I haven't heard of any lumpectomy patients getting it but I might be mistaken. Dr. G wants it as a precaution.
They didn't have my other papers and Dr. G's office said that Radiology at Adassa would have it. When I called, she said she had them and gave me the choice between picking them up or sending them. I'm in the neighborhood so I said I'd come by.
I was standing at the counter when she handed me two pieces of paper. Um, where are the images? You don't have them. No, I said so she started calling. She thought maybe they were sent to my gynecologist. No, they didn't have them. Maybe Dr. S. who did the MRI? I told them that he took them that day and that I approved... They had to call him at the Mammography place in Schiltingheim. No. Ugh.
Now I've managed to turn their office upside down, looking for my "clichés", as they call them. When who comes sweeping in, but Dr. N. Ugh. I was trying to not be obvious that I was going to take these to get a second opinion. I'm not trying to hide anything but when he walks in and sees them all running around like little chickens without heads... He shakes my hand and picks up the phone... and arranges to get a copy of the CD.
I babbered some sort of apology and assured them that I'd look at home. "Ça n'est pas grave!" he insisted (no big deal). Just come back tomorrow and it'll be at the desk.
As soon as I walked in the door, well, after dropping Davina off at gymnastics, I took ALL my papers and dumped them on the kitchen table. I went through each one. Well, guess what?!? I found them but they were really mixed up. I found the mammograph with the wires (which makes for one funny-looking boob!) and the other CD. Ugh! I feel like such an idiot.
Now, I'm going to have to go back there to pick up the CD. I'll make profuse apologies and hope their Catholic upbringings and lessons in forgiveness serve them well. I'll also pray that Dr. N. doesn't walk in! (should I go on Thursday morning when I know he's at Schiltingheim??)
This is very good news because mainly, it means I'm probably also negative. I did contact a lab here in Strasbourg and they gave me the name of their geneticist. Yeah! But I'm more happy for my sister because a BRCA gene can mean some hard Angela Jolie-type decisions to make. Women with the gene have to be more vigorously monitored and/or have various female parts removed, and are usually given a choice as to how they want to proceed.
BRCA is associated with some of the more aggressive forms of BC and mine's pretty ordinary. But what's looming is that there's the possibility of other genes being discovered in the future. BRCA's are only a tiny percentage of BC but I have to consider the fact that my daughters, even if I too, am negative for this, could find that we have yet-another gene in our DNA somewhere. Maybe I didn't pass it on, if I have one?
I still will do the test, more for the fact I do have two daughters who are probably going to have to be checked like I have been, gene found or not.
So far, I don't have my pathology report. It should arrive today with the Rx for Physical Therapy. So far, the only cases of lymphedema are in more serious BC patients. I haven't heard of any lumpectomy patients getting it but I might be mistaken. Dr. G wants it as a precaution.
They didn't have my other papers and Dr. G's office said that Radiology at Adassa would have it. When I called, she said she had them and gave me the choice between picking them up or sending them. I'm in the neighborhood so I said I'd come by.
I was standing at the counter when she handed me two pieces of paper. Um, where are the images? You don't have them. No, I said so she started calling. She thought maybe they were sent to my gynecologist. No, they didn't have them. Maybe Dr. S. who did the MRI? I told them that he took them that day and that I approved... They had to call him at the Mammography place in Schiltingheim. No. Ugh.
The young one who accused him of being "mean" says "You know, you should check again. Sometimes they slide them in with all the other papers so it isn't obvious". Yes, that's what I'll do! I'll go home and look again. I felt so badly for the mess I'd made. I was kind of glad for an "out". "Did you all want to do anything else with your afternoon??" Admittedly, there were a lot fewer patients with Dr. S. over at Schiltingheim.
Now I've managed to turn their office upside down, looking for my "clichés", as they call them. When who comes sweeping in, but Dr. N. Ugh. I was trying to not be obvious that I was going to take these to get a second opinion. I'm not trying to hide anything but when he walks in and sees them all running around like little chickens without heads... He shakes my hand and picks up the phone... and arranges to get a copy of the CD.
I babbered some sort of apology and assured them that I'd look at home. "Ça n'est pas grave!" he insisted (no big deal). Just come back tomorrow and it'll be at the desk.
As soon as I walked in the door, well, after dropping Davina off at gymnastics, I took ALL my papers and dumped them on the kitchen table. I went through each one. Well, guess what?!? I found them but they were really mixed up. I found the mammograph with the wires (which makes for one funny-looking boob!) and the other CD. Ugh! I feel like such an idiot.
Now, I'm going to have to go back there to pick up the CD. I'll make profuse apologies and hope their Catholic upbringings and lessons in forgiveness serve them well. I'll also pray that Dr. N. doesn't walk in! (should I go on Thursday morning when I know he's at Schiltingheim??)
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