The Backstory (Part 1)

To catch everyone up on what's happened so far...

November 2, 2006: I go to my 6th month check-up with my oncologist in which I ask her about MRI imaging for women at risk for breast cancer. My mom and I have the BRCA1 gene, which we were tested for after my last bout with cancer (in 2000). We were tested because a year after I got cancer, my mom got ovarian cancer and the year after that my sister got breast cancer. As a result we are all followed pretty closely by our doctors. My mother and sister have been getting MRI imaging every 6 months, but I have not. This visit, I convinced my doctor to order a scan (no reflection on her; she's absolutely the best!).

November 30, 2006: I go for the imaging. A completely painless procedure except for the contrast they inject. I have really lousy veins so this part always sucks. Otherwise, you lie face down but the tatas go through little holes. Then they put you in the machine with headphones on so you can listen to music. Tip: in case you ever have to get an MRI for anything, it doesn't matter which kind of music you pick to listen to - you won't hear anything anyway! The machine is too loud. I tend to snooze. It's the best way to get through it :)

December 1, 2006: My oncologist calls me at work to tell me the MRI shows something suspicious. This is the very next day, so I am relatively stressed about this. She recommends going straight to a biopsy instead of further imaging. I agree whole-heartedly. Okay, I admit I cried when I hung up the phone. Wonderful Mike and AmyFou are there to support me. I elect to wait on the biopsy so I can wrap up my classes (the next week is the last week of classes at the U of A) and Mike and I can take the romantic trip to Sedona that we had planned.

December 12, 2006: Sedona was the best. We had a great time - it was definitely healing. This is the day I go for the biopsy. They have to use MRI to do it because the blip is so small. I go back to the same place I went for the imaging. I know it's not going to hurt (except for the stupid needle) so I am not really worried about the procedure. I bring my penguin jammy bottoms and socks (that my sister gave me) to wear while they do the test. I learned last time it was cold and no metal is allowed, of course, so I come prepared this time. The techs all get a kick out of the penguins. Actually, everyone is really nice. The procedure doesn't go without a glitch, though, because the first time they try it, they can't reach where they need to go (the machine itself is apparently in the way), so they have to try again. One of the techs holds my hand and rubs my back the whole time. This is to keep me still but also to support me and it really was a nice gesture. When they're done, they all tell me what a great job I did. I say "All I had to do was lay here! You all did the hard part". Such nice people.

I now have vampire marks on the tata. I have to admit I was wishing Dr. McCoy would come along and zap me with something to make me better a la Star Trek. I know we've come a long way technologically but it's all too reminiscent of the Spanish Inquisition - particularly when they take me for a mammogram after the procedure. For all you men out there who may not know, they squish the tatas something awful when they do this. I am numb, of course, but the thought of this when I know I'll bleed is the straw that breaks the camel's back. I want to cry but I don't...yet.

Mammogram over, I go to Mike in the waiting room. We'd talked about going xmas shopping for Joey afterwards so he wants to know if I'm up for it. I just keep saying "I just want to get to the car". Once there, I burst into tears - feeling like a big loser the whole time. It didn't even hurt but there I am crying. Mike is great as always and tells me he thinks I am entitled to a good cry. He assumes I'll just want to go home but through my tears I say I want to go to Starbuck's. Nothing a tall peppermint hot chocolate with soy can't fix! My knight-in-shining-armor (KISA) takes me there posthaste and then we go to Southwest Strings to look for presents for Joey. We get him lots of Beethoven sheet music (requested by him and which was definitely a xmas hit).