I never felt a lump last time. They found something on the MRI and I was thrust into tests, waiting, and appointments. So this time, I had nothing to compare it to and I wasn’t use to feeling something and then try to fight for an appointment. They just appeared last time. Now I still have a cyst they are monitoring but we will see what happens with that one.
After an ultrasound, a mammogram, lots of google searches, a few heart attacks and some gray hairs we were told the lump is benign and just fat necrosis. This is not an uncommon occurrence with autologous fat transfer. During one of my follow up surgeries they injected some fat into my chest and that can cause some problems.
My oncologist was on vacation but the doctor covering her squeezed me in. Before the appointment he checked my file as he was perplexed about a lump. He suspected fat necrosis and called my plastic surgeon. Dr. Guo was also on vacation but local so he called Dr. Robertson back and they discussed the case. From what Dr. Guo remembered, the fat injection could be the culprit since he doesn’t do them each time. He finds that the separate fat injections can cause problems.
Now we can have it surgically removed or wait and see. Since I am not really excited about another surgery, I am taking the wait and see approach. I also have my next regular oncology appointment and we can talk about it further.
Life fucking sucks more often than I want it to.
So yes I have been remiss with the blog and I have no real reason. We seem to moving all the time but I couldn’t tell you what we have done.
We had our Bastille Day BBQ.
Aunt Betty stopped by and we went to dinner.
Watched the debt ceiling debacle.
Met up with Laura, Randy and Harper
Watched the Dow crash and burn.
We arrived safely in Jonesboro with Ann and the fam. We chatted a bit and then went to bed since it was much later than we expected. But we did stop at a chippy which was yummy. We got to hang out with kids and plan Katie’s life which is always a fun game for me to play.
We traveled a bit north to stop in Cookstown for a bit of genealogy (Brendan’s family). And the church was closed – of course it was. But we got some info from the Parish house (just had to have lunch and a few beers in Cookstown) that was new (Mary, possible twin). Cookstown is the best shopping in Mid-Ulster and the town’s motto is “Looking Good, Looking Great”. I can’t make this stuff up.
Other notable things while in Ireland with the Dalys. We saw Bridesmaids. And by we, I mean, Ann, Brendan, me and Katie. Never take your 17 year old niece to see this movie. One word. Awkward. And awkward probably more so for her than me but still.
Drawing blood – I will never do it again in Ireland. They use a huge ass syringe. I also suck at giving blood and cannot even tell you how much of a freak the doctor thinks I am. I am basically a child giving blood. My veins hide. I had to be made to lie down in an attempt to relax myself.
We left on Friday and had more mechanical issues. We were delayed 5 hours. Alett came and took Eli out (though he didn’t pee) but at least he had a chance. He does have a bladder of steel so he was fine. We made a flight in Philly but our luggage was delayed. Baggage was a sh*t show because flights were canceled due to bad Boston weather. But we were fortunate that our luggage was on the next flight from Philly.
Needless to say, we were happy not to travel much. Brendan is going to the UK in a few weeks and I hope he has better travel.
So we land safely in London even if that crazy lady almost caused us to abort the landing and then asked the flight attendants (US attendants mind you) about what she should be wearing out in London and about having to change for every meal you eat (like the royals do?). We went to Orpington and hung with Sarah, Pete and adorable Isaac. There house is lovely and has a great backyard and view. We went for a walk but the sun turned into a shower and I think that was the best part of the day for Isaac. The next day we went into London with Sarah, stored our bags at her work and went off to the Globe, the London Eye, Parliment and then I realized I didn’t have my passport. So back to Sarah’s to check the bag. No passport. I fear that I left it at Pete and Sarah’s house, in their car. So we RUN to the train and I realized that adrenaline doesn’t kick in. If I am chased, I will be killed. It was a sobering moment. Luckily we make the train. We run to Sarah’s (I walked and I got a bit lost but found my way to the house). I come across Brendan with the key to the house, with Sarah on the phone. He can’t open the door. After a few tries I get in, we get the passport out of the car and then run back to the station. We make the express to London Bridge, meet up with Sarah who has been watching the Tube and we have to change plans to make the plane. More running. We make the plane only to have it delayed. I think we were delayed 3 hours. We sat on the plane because of mechanical issues – the problem was with the inflatable slide. You know, the part for when we land in the ocean. People if we land in the ocean, we don’t need the slide – Captain Sully isn’t flying this plane. We found out that we were going to have to go on another plane. So we waited for a bus. We waited to board the bus. We drove to the new plane. We waited to get off the bus. We waited to board the plane (they were checking boarding passes. Who knew?). We waited to take off. We finally arrived in Ireland.
Boston to Philly:
B and I left Logan around 7 pm and flew to Philadelphia for our connection to London. When we arrived in Philly, there was a bit of a delay due to a mechanical issue. So we were waiting a bit. This was also the day of the United computer glitch which we think sent people scrambling for flights. A need for volunteers to get bumped arose and Brendan and I put our names in. The reward was free hotel, meal vouchers, first class flight to London and a $825 flight voucher. As the night wore on, we didn’t think we would get chosen. Finally, boarding started. Since I am Star Alliance Gold, I board early. And since I hate the lines, this is good for me. B likes to maximize his time away from the plane, so he waited. I went on the plane (now 1 hour delayed) and just sat down when I was called. It was the gate attendant saying that we had been chosen for the bump. I said “But I need 2 since there is my husband.” The gate attendant told me “Yup and he is already at the desk making the arrangements.” I now had to battle the passengers who were boarding. It was like a salmon swimming up stream. We made it to the hotel and even got to see some of B’s friends who were driving near the airport when we told them we were in town. We were at the Marriott attached the hotel which was convenient. On Saturday, we walked around Philly, went to Old Navy to buy some clothes. We then made our way back to the airport, hung out in the first class lounge and had some food. We got a good 5 hours of sleep since we had the full sleeping bays in first class. There was also a crazy lady who went to the bathroom prior to landing and almost caused us to abort the landing since she wouldn’t get out of the bathroom.
We had successfully arrived in London.
Part 2 to come…
After two rounds of testing, it has been determined that while my sister has the BRCA mutation, I do not. As of right now, I am a medical fluke. According to the American Cancer Society, from birth to age 39, 1 woman in 231 will get breast cancer (<0.5% risk). And apparently I fell into that .5%. Now if you coupled the risk factor with the likelihood that someone would get it within a family with a known BRCA mutation, then I don’t know. I can’t do that kind of math. But had I not been in a family with such history or had I gotten the genetic testing done earlier, I wouldn’t have been getting heightened screening and it wouldn’t have been found so early. So I am lucky in a sense.
Because the likelihood is so small, my genetic counselor and oncologist do not want to leave any stone unturned. So we are trying to get the lab that tested my sister’s blood to test mine. Also we are having another hospital lab look over the biopsy sample (even though 2 rounds of checking we were already done there as well).
It was kind of funny when they delivered the second set of results and basically said “We don’t know what to say because everyone we spoke to expected you to have the same mutation as your sister.”
Thus, I present to you…me, the medical conundrum or the luckiest unlucky person.
or rather pee does. Eli has gone from a dog who would only go to the bathroom while off leash to now marking his territory. Now on walks he will go 3-4 times in different spots. While there still has to be some sort of vegetation, he has been known to go to the bathroom on a plant while his paws are on concrete. We are curious to when he will finally go on inanimate objects like a fire hydrant.
I think this is all a result of his training classes and getting more confidence.
This is hilarious and kind of cute (the ducklings).
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/boston/backbay/bbgallery/statues_bruins/