A year ago today, I had the mammogram and ultrasound that would start this whole adventure. I don't consider it the day I heard the news. By then, it was almost a done deal. The moment was when he stopped and was looking at, what I hoped, would be a cyst. It wasn't and he didn't hide the fact he didn't like it.
I remember sitting in the waiting room and noticing how nervous all the other women looked. One paid and was happy to leave. I was thinking, oh, they're not used to doing this. I was so used to it. Thirty years of screenings is a long time...
I realized that it was Rosh Hashana and we said good-bye to 5774. It's now 5775. I got the BRCA prelim results right before. I'm kind of going to resign it all to that year, since it was found soon after Rosh Hashana last year. Then it dawned on me. 1974 is when my father died, I got chicken pox and we were robbed. I think I know what my unlucky number is now!
I'm not completely done nor will I be. I have a colonoscopy a week from today. I'm not looking forward to it but I'm looking forward to getting it over with. I'm not scared as I was with breast cancer. I see the anesthesiologist on Monday. Maybe I'll luck out and get the cute one who did my surgery! Or, maybe one of the cranky ladies I've already seen. Sigh.
I ran into a mom, and while I tried to stay off the subject, happened to mention in passing my results. All so casually, she says "Oh we have that in my family..." Turns out, she has little contact with her father (parents divorced when she was young) who are back in Paris where she's originally from. She gets this rather cold letter listing the relatives with breast cancer and she was given the actual mutation.
She said immediately that she won't be tested. I had to do some quick thinking. Didn't want to scare her. She said "It won't change anything anyway!" Um, yes it does. I put myself up as an example. "I'll definitely get my ovaries out if they find anything," I thought that sounded practical, then joking I didn't need them anymore, at my age, with three kids.
No, it's breast cancer. Actually, it's both breast and ovarian. She went white. Time to change strategy... I have this really nice geneticist. I'm going to give you his name. And email. Now. Promise he won't pressure you to test. You need someone with a degree who does this for a living to explain things to you...
Of course, I had to run to the computer and whip up a big apology to Dr. T. promising him that I wasn't running around handing out his email but this was a special situation. Please don't pressure her to test but she needs information. He wrote a nice note right away assuring me that I had "done the right thing", that he'd be happy to meet with her and that no, he would in no way, pressure her to get the test. But he wasn't allowed to contact her. She has to be the one who gets in touch.
No problem. She did email him and has an apt. to go down there.
I'm kind of pleased that it will work out for her. I'm really hoping though that she does get tested. She has a 10 year old girl but I'm staying out of it. I'll let Dr. T handle this one!
I remember sitting in the waiting room and noticing how nervous all the other women looked. One paid and was happy to leave. I was thinking, oh, they're not used to doing this. I was so used to it. Thirty years of screenings is a long time...
I realized that it was Rosh Hashana and we said good-bye to 5774. It's now 5775. I got the BRCA prelim results right before. I'm kind of going to resign it all to that year, since it was found soon after Rosh Hashana last year. Then it dawned on me. 1974 is when my father died, I got chicken pox and we were robbed. I think I know what my unlucky number is now!
I'm not completely done nor will I be. I have a colonoscopy a week from today. I'm not looking forward to it but I'm looking forward to getting it over with. I'm not scared as I was with breast cancer. I see the anesthesiologist on Monday. Maybe I'll luck out and get the cute one who did my surgery! Or, maybe one of the cranky ladies I've already seen. Sigh.
I ran into a mom, and while I tried to stay off the subject, happened to mention in passing my results. All so casually, she says "Oh we have that in my family..." Turns out, she has little contact with her father (parents divorced when she was young) who are back in Paris where she's originally from. She gets this rather cold letter listing the relatives with breast cancer and she was given the actual mutation.
She said immediately that she won't be tested. I had to do some quick thinking. Didn't want to scare her. She said "It won't change anything anyway!" Um, yes it does. I put myself up as an example. "I'll definitely get my ovaries out if they find anything," I thought that sounded practical, then joking I didn't need them anymore, at my age, with three kids.
No, it's breast cancer. Actually, it's both breast and ovarian. She went white. Time to change strategy... I have this really nice geneticist. I'm going to give you his name. And email. Now. Promise he won't pressure you to test. You need someone with a degree who does this for a living to explain things to you...
Of course, I had to run to the computer and whip up a big apology to Dr. T. promising him that I wasn't running around handing out his email but this was a special situation. Please don't pressure her to test but she needs information. He wrote a nice note right away assuring me that I had "done the right thing", that he'd be happy to meet with her and that no, he would in no way, pressure her to get the test. But he wasn't allowed to contact her. She has to be the one who gets in touch.
No problem. She did email him and has an apt. to go down there.
I'm kind of pleased that it will work out for her. I'm really hoping though that she does get tested. She has a 10 year old girl but I'm staying out of it. I'll let Dr. T handle this one!
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