My update

Many people have been asking what is going on with me and my health. I called to make an appointment with the surgeon the beginning of august and could not get seen until the beginning of October. What???? I thought the three weeks I was going to have to wait at my old insurance was rediculous. This is the downfall of being in a huge HMO company like Kiaser where your only choice is a kaiser doc and facility. They are always full. If this big lump up by my lymphnodes really is cancerous what would happen in 2 months where would it spread to, how much would it grow??? Especially with all the pregnancy hormones. I called every morning and night to ask if there were any cancellations after 2 weeks of doing that I was able to get in the beginning of september. As I am getting ready to go to the appointment they cancelled it. I was so mad now if I had to wait 2 months again I would not get in until NOvember. Luckily since it was their fault I was rescheduled for the following day. I am also grateful that I was able to change my appointment sooner because it changed the doctor I saw. I was originally supposed to see a general surgeon. When I was able to move my appointment up I was able to see a different doc who specialized in oncological surgery. He was chief of oncological surgery at Kaiser in Hawaii and one of the only oncological surgeons they had on the island.

So I had my appointment right before Heather's funeral. He felt what I was feeling plus the area up by my lymphnodes the NP had felt at my other appointment. I had convinced myself that there was nothing there because I have not felt it. He believes they are fibrous cysts. And thinks that the area up by my lymphnodes are clusters of fibrous cysts. I had a fibrous tumor removed on my other breast in 1999. Due to that history and Heather's history he is being very cautious. He ordered an ultra sound to see if there is anything bigger/tumors. He believes these cysts are too small to biopsy and that they are so small they may not even show up on the ultra sound. Like I said he is being very cautious and I will be seeing him every 3 months for a breast exam and getting on a yearly mammogram and ultrasound routine.

This man was very sweet. He could not even look at me when he walked in. He said you had a sister diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer at 29 shortly after giving birth? Me: Yes
Doc: ANd you are almost 29 and are pregnant and are feeling lumps?
Me: Yes
Doc: I saw on your paper you circled family member deceased from breast cancer.
Me: Yes
Doc: Was this your sister?
Me: yes
Doc: How old was she when she passed away?
Me: 32. She just passed away this week.
The doctor who could not even look up at me finally looked up and had tears in his eyes. What a compassionate man. They teach you in med school and nursing to not get your emotions involved. But this man was so caring. He also said despite Heather's genetic testing being negative twice. He is still treating me like I have a 50% chance of getting cancer. He does not think any of these lumps are cancerous but I will be on the regimented 3 month check and I am only to breast feed for 4-6 weeks. I am not sure if I will follow that recommendation but he said that hormones from breast feeding help spread some cancers. But mainly it is because if I go to have an exam every 3 months and I am nursing he cannot assess me apporpriately. It would be very easy to miss lumps when you are filled with milk. He wants to see me one month after the baby is born and then come back after I have stopped nursing to make sure everything is ok.

It has taken me a couple weeks to get in for the ultra sound. But I finally got an appointment and go on monday. Will keep you updated on the results