Honor Your Body

I asked you to stay tuned for this week’s blog because I would not be able to give you the full story until now. Be it safe to say that November was a very long and stressful month and I have much to be thankful for.

I am very good about keeping my doctor’s appointments and they all pretty much hit around the same time, my generalist, the dentist and my ob-gyn – like clockwork I see each of them twice a year; in the spring and in the fall. This October I went to see my ob-gyn for my semi-annual checkup and received my prescription to have my annual mammogram. I always have my mammogram done in October during breast cancer month. I go to the imaging center at my local hospital, Hudson Valley as it is only a half mile from my home – the staff is friendly and it is usually a 15 minute visit as I am in and out.

The appointment as usual was uneventful and I was out in the 15 minutes like I expected – I had my appointment on October 26th and since it had already been two weeks since I had seen my ob-gyn and had not heard anything from her all was good. But, it wasn’t. I received a letter from the radiologist who had read my mammogram films that there were some abnormalities and that I needed to have additional testing. I was nervous and made an appointment immediately for November 7th. Nothing to do but wait for the day of the appointment to come – but, I was sure it was nothing.

I get to the imaging center and proceed to give them all my information again. The technician lets me know that the abnormalities are in my left breast and that we need to take some more pictures. It isn’t just one or two; but, four images – I am then told that I can dress and come back to the inside waiting area – I know this isn’t going well. The technician lets me know that the radiologist wants to speak to me; he begins with telling me that he understands my nervousness that his baby sister has breast cancer and that I should consider everything. I am in a bit of shock; he now points out to the abnormalities that they had seen in my mammogram – they are calcifications and he is trying to reassure me that they are probably benign; but, that I need to have a biopsy and that they can do it. They have also gone ahead and called my ob-gyn, her concern is that they are being aggressive with the biopsy and she would rather observe and in three months review new films; but, we decide to go for a second opinion. I agree with her and on Friday I provide her with a list of imaging facilities in Manhattan that take my insurance. We decide on one that is considered the best in the city – I call them and I was told I could stop by at any time and give them my films and documentation. I drop them off on Monday, November 12th – for some misguided reason I thought the radiologist would see me there and give me the results. What was I thinking? They have other patients – they would need a couple of days to review it and get back to me. On Thursday I receive a call, it is the Imaging Center and they open the conversation with, “we are calling you to set up an appointment for your biopsy”; not, “we reviewed your films and documentation and have decided that you need a biopsy”. Okay – forget the niceties and just schedule it; after going through calendars and appointments we settle on Wednesday, November 21st – the day before Thanksgiving at 1:30. I am nervous – I have told my family and a few close friends; as well as, my ob-gyn who is surprised that they have chosen the biopsy route. Everyone keeps assuring me it will be fine and I will be happier knowing what the final results are. On Tuesday, November 20th we had our Board of Trustees meeting and I did not get home until 8:15 – on my home line there is a message from the Imaging Center stating that if I could they would like me to come in at 11AM instead of 1:30. I call and leave them a message that 11AM would be fine. Wednesday morning I go to my HP30 class and do my work out – come home, take a shower and get ready to go to the city for the biopsy.

I get to the Imaging Center and provide them with all my information – I then am greeted by the technician who shows me where I can undress and put on a robe, she then takes some newer images and advises me how the biopsy will be conducted. I learn that I am not having an aspiration but a core needle biopsy. I will be throughout the session and will have local anesthesia – I will also be seated throughout the entire procedure. I have never heard of a core needle biopsy; and, am surprised at the procedure – it requires many x-rays to ensure that the needle is positioned in the exact location to drill and extract the calcifications. At one point the drilling hurt and I was given more localized anesthesia – the technician and surgeon kept a running conversation throughout the procedure and ensured I looked at them and not at what was happening to my breast. An hour later it was complete – sutures were on, I was given an ice pack to manage the swelling and was told that I could not lift anything heavy, exercise or immerse my breast in water for the next five days. If the sutures did not fall off in five days then I could remove them.

They removed all of the calcifications; as well as, some tissue around it to send to the pathologist. I would not know the results of the biopsy until the following Wednesday given that Thursday was Thanksgiving, they had Friday off, were closed on the weekend, etc. So it would be a week of not knowing. The good news was that the way it was growing and given that it was just noticed on this year’s mammogram that if it was not benign I was in a good position for it to be treated successfully. That evening I was meeting my family to take my cousin out to dinner for his birthday – they heard the news and we all just tried to think positively. Thanksgiving was the same with my telling my niece that I don’t understand how she manages with large breasts – my left breast being swollen was getting in the way. I had some pain and I could see through the sutures that I had bled some. The Thanksgiving weekend was difficult because I could not work out – I could not decorate for Christmas as all the containers with the Christmas decorations weighed anywhere from 25 to 50 pounds and I could not lift them. So I watched many Christmas movies and read a few books. Wednesday could not get here soon enough.

On Tuesday I was in our conference room setting up a meeting for our CTO when I could see on my cell phone that it was my ob-gyn calling. I had to finish setting up the meeting and then I called her back. She let me know that she received the pathologists report and it was benign; as she put it there was no pre-anything. What a relief. I then told her that the biopsy was not just an aspiration; but, a core needle biopsy – and that I was surprised at the procedure. She advised that this was the best procedure; but, in truth if they had told me what they were going to do there would be no way that I would agree to the procedure. My family and my friends were each relieved to hear the good news.

I am back to working out and thankful for having good health. My advice to each of you is to please make sure that you do all your preventative checkups. Take care of your body – it is a gift and will last you your lifetime if you give it some tender loving care.

Most importantly, thank you to my family and friends who stood by me this past month.