A lot can happen in 10 days.

So here's a quick rundown on the last 10 days.

Monday, Sep 10, I go in for my annual. They find a lump in my left breast. Feels like a cyst to them, but an expedited diagnostic mammogram is ordered. Here's the shit -- once pointed out, I could easily feel it too. Why didn't I feel it during my self-breast exams? Because I don't do them regularly. 

LESSON 1:      DO SELF BREAST EXAMS. HAVE YOUR DR SHOW YOU HOW. 

So me and this lump, who we have now named Brett, get to Wednesday – mildly nervous but thinking it's a cyst.

Get to Piper...

LESSON 2:      GO TO PIPER, THEY ARE GODDESSES OF GOOD

...and get a 3D mammogram and an ultrasound

LESSON 3:       ASK FOR 3D, EVERY TIME. 

Now I had been brilliant and did some web research on how a cyst and tumor look different on an ultrasound.

LESSON 4:      ASK DR's, NOT GOOGLES

So when the tech left to go get a Dr to so the second ultrasound, I peeked at the screen. I saw a dandelion, not an egg. (cysts look like eggs) The Dr came in and did the ultrasound, and by the look on her face I could safely ask -- "It's not a cyst, is it?" To which she said "No, it's not." I asked her how she felt about what she saw, and she said: "Worried". So I did.

They suggested a biopsy right there, to which I said "fuck yes". 4 needle biopsies are taken...

LESSON 5:      IF THEY SAY "THIS ONE MIGHT HURT." ASK FOR MORE LIDOCAINE

The results were due the next day, so Mols and I took the day off, so we could take the call together.

LESSON 6:      WAITING FOR A CALL TO FIND YOU WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE CANCER? MAKE SURE YOUR PHONE IS NOT ON "DO NOT DISTURB" AND YOUR VM INBOX ISN'T FULL.

So after missing the first call, they call back. And then and there, we find out I do have cancer. Brett's full name is Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. The most common, and most treatable. It means it started in a milk duct but has now extended outside of the duct. 

We take it in, briefly lose our shit, then get to work with phone calls. The Piper Godessess are soon setting up appt's with surgeons and assigning me a Cancer Care Counselor, who is an RN assigned to me for the duration. She go to all my consults, etc to take notes for us, answer all our questions and make sure our questions are asked. I have a cancer Wingman. Her name is Meghan.

(SEE LESSON 2)

A surgical consult is set for Wednesday, which is 6 excruciating days of waiting. In those 6 days, the Booby Brigade comes to life in a fashion that is damn impressive, and to be honest, quite humbling. 

Friday, my Wingman does a pre-meeting to get us smart about all the surgical options, immunohistochemistry, (i know, right?)  receptors, including HER2, ER PR and all the other letters in the cancer alphabet. ABCDSHIT

LESSON 7.    CANCER SUCKS, BUT CANCER SCIENCE IS AMAZING AND GIVES YOU HOPE. 

So we finally get to surgical consult day. And Dr. Natasha Rueth joins the Booby Brigade. And the first words out of her mouth are "This is stage 1. You get to grow up to be a cranky old lady." Brett is HER2-  ER PR +, which is exactly what we hoped for. And we exhale. Perhaps for the first time in days. 

We quickly fall in love with Dr. Reuth. Not only because she told us the best news we could hope for, but she is hilarious, reassuring and lovely. And she swears. We all talk, she does an exam, compliments my nice breast tissue and Molly's pretty eyes. 

LESSON 7.    GIVEN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES, HEARING "STAGE 1 CANCER" FEELS LIKE WINNING A JACKPOT. HIGH FIVES ARE ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE AT THIS POINT 

And we make a plan.  Oct 1, outpatient lumpectomy to send Brett hiking and grab the sentinel lymph nodes. Radiation to follow. And endocrine therapy after that, which will send me into instant menopause. "You will start having insomnia and hot flashes" -- HAHA welcome to the last 3 years of my life. 

Our family cancer history also makes me a candidate for genetic testing. So today, Genetic Counselor Hallee joined BB. (I know, I know... but I now know amazingly smart Hallee's and Brittany's)   The cool thing is these tests will see if I carry BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations (plus a slew of others), which increase my likelihood of cancer in the future. I asked Hallee if this is when I find out if I have superpowers that have not yet revealed themselves. Unfortunately, that is a different test. I am also surprised at this time to find out Hallee has never watched Orphan Black. But now says she will. I also referenced Coli several times in our conversation, in hopes that knowing someone that smart would give me some genetic cred.

So here we are. 10 days since Brett's discovery. 7 days into being someone with cancer. And 11 days til we cut Brett the fuck out of me. To all of you reading this, you are the best Booby Brigade a gal with cancer could hope for. When we get on the other side of this, there's gonna be a hell of a party. And then a hell of a wedding. I am thankful for all of you. Love, Ginnie

PS: Fuck cancer