My Breast Cancer Journal
March 11
Saturday, March 11, 2000
It's been a week of anxiety, distraction, and fear at our house. On March 3rd, I had a needle biopsy as a follow up to some suspicious looking beasties first spotted on my mammogram and then confirmed by ultrasound. We had hoped that these were cysts, that the needle would draw out fluid and they would collapse. When this happens, you can bet money that's the end of things. Well, my beasties were solid and we've been sweating out the biopsy results. We were supposed to get them on the 7th. When the lab wouldn't return them on that date, or the next day, or the next, the anxiety began to mount. Today it is confirmed: we interrupted these beasties making plans to overrun my body in a highly unnatural fashion. The technical term for that is malignant invasive carcinoma. These are words I had hoped never to hear mentioned in the same sentence as my name, but the beasties had other plans.Well, I can make nefarious plans, too. I'm a tough redhead and I've been tempered by past adversity, which makes me a highly dangerous customer for a couple of teeny little beasties to take on. These beasties are going to be unceremoniously evicted and any of their friends that happen to be lurking about are going to be shown the door and told in no uncertain terms that they aren't welcome either. Our next big date is 3/17 - a strategy session to determine exactly what eviction method we are going to use. I'll keep you posted.
I'm posting this here because I believe in the power of prayer, and I want yours. I also want you to commit right now to doing a breast self-exam every single month. (Guys, you can help your significant other remember to do theirs.) And I invite you to steal the pink ribbon that now adorns the front page of Portal-Help. Put it up on your own portal to tell everyone how important it is for women to take care of their health with monthly self-exams and annual mammograms.
This is looking pretty spare right now, but I'll be dressing it up later today.
posted by Karen Weber Saturday, March 11, 2000
If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with breast cancer, you should bookmark this excellent site: Understanding breast cancer treatment: A Guide for Patients. This is put out by the National Cancer Institute at NIH.
posted by Karen Weber Saturday, March 11, 2000
Everyone is calling. My mom is acting brave, but she is a worrier and I know she's in full swing. My brother called and we talked for a long time. I got a beautiful flower arrangement from Becky in Atlanta (thank you Ms. rhino!). As long as I stay busy, I'm OK.
posted by Karen Weber Saturday, March 11, 2000
I'm keeping myself busy today. I moved all the Bible verse postcards from MotivationalQuotes.com over toPrayer Warriors and updated the Prayer Warriors Home Page.I was picking up the mail and ran into the guy who lives across the street, Andy. Stopped over to talk and see how he's installing a hot tub in the back yard. His folks are visiting from Mississippi. While we were talking, he told them how I worked for Exceptional Parent magazine and I broke down crying, telling him I'd had to resign to concentrate on beating breast cancer. Then I came home and wondered what the heck I was doing telling this guy I barely know (and his parent who I've never set eyes on before) about this. And crying in front of them! Hopeless. Well, everything for a reason. An hour or so later, his wife Michelle came over. She offered her support, prayers, and assistance. Most of all, she said she'd keep offering because she knows it feels awkward for someone to cash in an offer like that. She also told me about how God has worked in her life with health problems and gave me a couple huge hugs that I really needed. These are good people! I'm honored to have them as neighbors.
My husband came home with 2 flavors of ice cream and 2 boxes of ice cream sandwiches. I'll no doubt gain 50 pounds by the time I see that radiology oncologist next Friday. Sigh!
posted by Karen Weber Saturday, March 11, 2000
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