As I mentioned in my other thread, I was officially diagnosed in February 2019. I will talk about how the diagnosis happens and the first steps.
I had been experiencing pain when I moved my arm certain ways. This wasn't very unusual because I have degenerative disc disease in my neck that can cause similar symptoms. When my usual strategies of stretching and the like didn't work I started thinking of other possibilities. Around that time I discovered the mass in my breast. I knew immediately what it was. I mean, what else could it be? It took me a couple weeks to get to a doctor. Some of that delay was likely because of feelings of anxiety and dread. Denial most certainly was a factor. I wonder too as I write this if the messaging around breast cancer was a factor. After all, it's all treatable, right?? Irrational logic of course. That's part of the process.
I had no idea where the medical clinics were in this community. When you google medical clinics you get a lot of choices. Narrowing the search to family medicine or similar wasn't helpful. I did figure out where there were walk in clinics. Thankfully there was about three or four clinics at the time. Now there is one that is extremely busy and somewhat hard to access because of the lineup. It can't be easy trying to get a diagnosis today, especially when you don't have a doctor.
The doctor I met was a stern South African doctor who frankly was a bit scary. When he did the exam, he said it was dense breasts. I said it was not and that there had been a change. I'm not sure he believed me. He did though, refer me for an urgent mammogram. That urgent mammo would have been several weeks away.
I asked to be placed on the cancellation list and as it happened, we had a snowstorm so I got in within the week.
I had the mammo on a Wednesday which turns out to be a good day at this hospital. It is the day when they do biopsies. When the mammo was finished, the tech said she had to talk to the radiologist. I told her I expected that. The radiologist sent me for an ultrasound which was just down the hall. The ultrasound tech said she had to talk to the radiologist. Yup. I expected that. The next thing I knew I was getting a needle biopsy with two or three students watching.
The needle biopsy is interesting. It is done by the radiologist using ultrasound to guide the needle. The radiologist was a gentle kind man a little older than me. I appreciated his kindness and gentleness. He inserted the needle and it grabbed some of the mass. The feeling is a little like an elastic being snapped against you. A little uncomfortable. Not horrible. When the procedure was done the radiologist let me know there may be a referral to a surgeon. He said to not be alarmed because that is the standard procedure.
I don't remember if I heard from the walk-in clinic or if I phoned. I did see a doctor the next day. She was married to the first doctor I met at that clinic. She was very different from him. She was a very personable and chatty Newfoundlander. She told me it was cancer and that I would be referred to a surgeon. She stepped out to call one and came back to say he had agreed to take me. She told me he was the best in the city. I really appreciated that.
And so it began.
I had been experiencing pain when I moved my arm certain ways. This wasn't very unusual because I have degenerative disc disease in my neck that can cause similar symptoms. When my usual strategies of stretching and the like didn't work I started thinking of other possibilities. Around that time I discovered the mass in my breast. I knew immediately what it was. I mean, what else could it be? It took me a couple weeks to get to a doctor. Some of that delay was likely because of feelings of anxiety and dread. Denial most certainly was a factor. I wonder too as I write this if the messaging around breast cancer was a factor. After all, it's all treatable, right?? Irrational logic of course. That's part of the process.
I had no idea where the medical clinics were in this community. When you google medical clinics you get a lot of choices. Narrowing the search to family medicine or similar wasn't helpful. I did figure out where there were walk in clinics. Thankfully there was about three or four clinics at the time. Now there is one that is extremely busy and somewhat hard to access because of the lineup. It can't be easy trying to get a diagnosis today, especially when you don't have a doctor.
The doctor I met was a stern South African doctor who frankly was a bit scary. When he did the exam, he said it was dense breasts. I said it was not and that there had been a change. I'm not sure he believed me. He did though, refer me for an urgent mammogram. That urgent mammo would have been several weeks away.
I asked to be placed on the cancellation list and as it happened, we had a snowstorm so I got in within the week.I had the mammo on a Wednesday which turns out to be a good day at this hospital. It is the day when they do biopsies. When the mammo was finished, the tech said she had to talk to the radiologist. I told her I expected that. The radiologist sent me for an ultrasound which was just down the hall. The ultrasound tech said she had to talk to the radiologist. Yup. I expected that. The next thing I knew I was getting a needle biopsy with two or three students watching.
The needle biopsy is interesting. It is done by the radiologist using ultrasound to guide the needle. The radiologist was a gentle kind man a little older than me. I appreciated his kindness and gentleness. He inserted the needle and it grabbed some of the mass. The feeling is a little like an elastic being snapped against you. A little uncomfortable. Not horrible. When the procedure was done the radiologist let me know there may be a referral to a surgeon. He said to not be alarmed because that is the standard procedure.
I don't remember if I heard from the walk-in clinic or if I phoned. I did see a doctor the next day. She was married to the first doctor I met at that clinic. She was very different from him. She was a very personable and chatty Newfoundlander. She told me it was cancer and that I would be referred to a surgeon. She stepped out to call one and came back to say he had agreed to take me. She told me he was the best in the city. I really appreciated that.
And so it began.
Ah well. I really like my cancer clinic doctor. The clinic has three GP Oncologists. While I like my oncologist, the GP Oncs are better because they've been GPs and are better able to think outside the linear. The oncologist is brilliant and knows her stuff.