Well, the new year certainly got started. Last week Mom discovered she had stage one breast cancer–the earliest, most treatable stage–and Thursday she had a lumpectomy and had it removed.
No one was expecting this to be the way to start the year. Before Christmas we had our mammograms, and there was something different on Mom’s. A few years ago there was something different on her mammogram, and after a biopsy it turned out to be non-cancerous, but something that would bear watching. This year the *something different* changed, but we were expecting the same results… not dangerous, but would bear watching.
She was shocked when the doctor, after listening to Mom go on and on about how she was sure this would be much ado about nothing, gently interrupted her and said while he admired her optimism, this time it was wrong. It was breast cancer.
Cancer is a pretty scary word, but Mom was lucky. Stage one is easily treatable, and the doctor was optimistic. So was she.
Thursday turned out to be the longest day of our lives. Not because of apprehension, but because we started at 9:30 in the morning and didn’t get home until 9:30 in the evening. Even under the best of circumstances, a 12-hour day is long. But when you go here and there in a hospital, first for one thing, then another, and wait and wait and wait until an operating room that was supposed to be available ages ago finally opens up about an hour after you were scheduled to be finished… it’s a long day.
But it’s done now. They are sure they took all the cancer. Next week is a follow-up appointment, then radiation therapy will start. The first hard part is done. How hard radiation will be remains to be seen. Mom’s home, and we went for haircuts and lunch today, just like we have other Saturdays.
Hopefully, there will be many more Saturdays ahead.
C is for Cynicalgirl 
Oh my, not a good way to start the New Year…but it does sound encouraging. Good luck to your Mom and you as her support. Keep the faith! I hear you on the long wait in the hospital… Our New Year started out with my Hubby going into the hospital for a test and maybe minor surgery, ended up five days in the CCU with complications. All turned out well now with him and a new defibrillator to help his heart.
I am sorry to hear that your mom has cancer. There are significant gains in cancer treatment and specifically breast cancer treatment. I hope that her treatment is relatively painless and her recovery is rapid.
Sorry to hear that news . . . I was diagnosed when I was 39, a mere 19 years ago.
Treatment has been improved since then. The road won’t be easy. A positive attitude is more than half the battle. Please keep me informed of her progress.
Tough news on the heels of a holiday, but good for you all for following through – it will make all the difference in the world (along with lots of positive thinking and prayers). Youand your mom have got mine!
Finding this news late, CG. I hope that your mother’s treatment is progressing well without too many side effects and that the outcome is the very best. My friend Janice has just spent the fall helping her mother (86 yrs.) through breast cancer treatment with a good result. Take care of yourself too.
Thank you all. She’s going to heal another couple of weeks before they start the radiation. But she’s doing well and in good spirits. 🙂
It’s a relief to know your mom is doing well and in good spirits. Yay!
Funny thing about breast cancer (oh yeah, and what might that be?)
For reasons I don’t know, they apparently do familial genetic testing now on patients and consistently discover that 10% of them are unrelated to the guy they call dad.
Hmmmm.
That last bit is interesting. My grandfather died before I was born, so I guess it doesn’t exactly matter. :p Thanks for the good wishes. Mom is tough!
Google can’t find the article I read online about the collateral damage of paternity revelations, but women often inherit breast cancer propensity genes (that sounds real medical!) from their FATHERS.