1/19/2008: The Diagnosis

I have been diagnosed with cancer. (Let that sink in for a second.)

They are not 100% sure what kind of cancer, but are leaning toward breast cancer. Let me bring you up to speed ...

The week before Thanksgiving, I found a lump under my armpit. The doctors said it was a swollen lymph node that had probably reacted to a bad cold that I had at the time. They told me if it increased in size and had not gone away in two weeks to then come back. I went out of town for the holidays and the lymph node/lump grew three times the size (6 cm) and became more painful/unbearable. I called my doctor upon my return from Miami and was sent to a surgeon. He did an exam and decided to do surgery immediately.

The tumor had grown inside the lymph node and was the size of a hockey puck with a smaller pea-sized tumor on top of it. They did a frozen biopsy while I was still under and it showed cancer cells. My surgeon was sure to remove the entire tumor. They suspected that the cancer was lymphoma considering that it was growing inside the lymph node, but preliminary tests show that it is more likely breast cancer. It could be that this is the only tumor and for some reason it decided to house itself in the lymph node under my left armpit, or that there is another tumor in my breast that branched into the lymph node. My surgeon said they could have gotten it all and hope that they did, but they have to assume that they didn't and that there is more. That means more tests and imaging.

I have a mammogram, CTScan and MRI scheduled for this coming week which will show if there are more tumors. (Fingers crossed that there are NOT.) If there are no tumors, then I will start treatment. (Depending on the cancer and the amount of it will determine my treatment.) If there are more tumors, then I will have more surgery and then undergo treatment. Either way, I have to be "zapped" (which is the term my surgeon uses). He is really amazing and has been so proactive about moving quickly and getting this stuff early.

I am trying to focus on my new job with Gannett and my thesis course. Staying positive is really important, but it is not easy. I ask that you please keep me and my family in your thoughts and prayers as I embark on this battle. It will not be an easy road, but I don't plan to let it bring me down. Once all the imaging is complete this week and the tumor has been biopsied further I should have more information to pass along. I will keep you all posted as I know more.