Story
The night before Easter, Saturday, April 19th, I took my usual evening shower. I noticed a spot on my right side that was itching a lot. As I felt around, I realized something didn’t feel right—it was different from the other side. I mentioned it to my sister and Addie, and we all agreed I should call my doctor on Monday. The next day, I kept checking the spot, hoping it had just been a fluke. But it was still there. Monday, April 21st: I called my regular doctor and got an appointment for that evening at 4:30. I already had Keylei’s ortho appointment and needed to renew my driver’s license (which took forever), so I called to reschedule. Thankfully, they were able to fit me in the next day after work. Tuesday, April 22nd: I saw my doctor, who did an exam and said I needed a mammogram and ultrasound stat. The Statesville location only does mammograms on Tuesdays, so they asked if I’d drive to Mooresville. I agreed—I just needed peace of mind. They got me in the next morning at 9 a.m. I had plans to go on Jace’s field trip but told myself I’d go to the appointment first, then head over to his field trip after. Wednesday, April 23rd: I went into work, made sure Jace was taken care of, then left early. I checked in and was quickly taken back. After changing into a lovely pink robe, I had my mammogram. The tech asked me to wait while the radiologist reviewed the scans. My stomach was in knots. She came back and said I needed an ultrasound. After that was done, they said they needed another scan including the lymph nodes. My anxiety skyrocketed. Finally, the radiologist spoke with me. He said the spot was unusually shaped and had gray areas—not just a cyst. He recommended a biopsy. They could do it there but couldn’t fit me in until mid-May. However, if I was willing to go to Hickory, they could see me next week. I said yes immediately. Friday, April 25th: They called and scheduled the biopsy for Monday, April 28th at 7:45 a.m. This was Jace’s birthday, and I had planned to bring cupcakes and have lunch with him. By this point I had let my work know what was going on as I knew I would be needing off. I dropped Jace and the cupcakes off that morning before heading to Hickory with Tim. The team at Catawba Women’s Center was great. The doctor asked what I’d been told so far—I said not much, just that a biopsy was needed. She was very honest and told me that if I didn’t already have a surgeon in mind, I needed to start thinking of one. Her honesty hit me hard. I wasn’t ready to hear that, and I broke down. They completed the biopsy, placed a titanium clip for reference, and told me the results would be ready in 2–3 days. Wednesday, April 30th: My doctor’s office called and asked me to come in for the results. I knew then it wasn’t good. Tim couldn’t make it back in time, so my brother met me at the office while my nephew watched Jace. The doctor came in and told me I had Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Grade 2. I was in shock, angry and hurt. How could this be happening? They asked if I had a surgeon in mind. I didn’t, but I had spoken with someone at Keylei’s game earlier that week who works in the cancer unit at Baptist. I called her right after I left the appointment and she was still at work. She got me in with a doctor the very next day. Thursday, May 1st: I met with Dr. Levine at Baptist. He reviewed all my results and walked me through options—lumpectomy vs. mastectomy. He ordered genetic testing, an MRI, and a plastic surgery consult. They drew my blood for the genetic test that same day. Tuesday, May 6th: I had a call with the genetics counselor. We went through all my family and personal medical history, and they sent off my blood for a 77-panel genetic test. Results would take about two weeks. At this point, very few people knew what was going on. I wasn’t ready to talk about it and wanted to shield the kids, especially Keylei. She had big games, cheer tryouts, and end-of-year tests. Eventually, we told her. She took it better than I expected, though I kept the details minimal. She knew I had breast cancer, and the plan was to get everything. Now this next week of appts is where it all kinda hit home and got more real. It was already real but I have kept my mind pretty occupied with all the end of year things happening. Monday, May 19th: Good news! The genetic counselor called—all 77 panels were negative. No known cancer-related genes were found. Wednesday, May 21st: I met with Dr. Katz, the plastic surgeon at Baptist. He walked me through all the reconstructive options if mastectomy was the route taken. It was overwhelming. Emotionally and mentally, I felt like I was being stripped of everything that made me feel like a woman. Thursday, May 22nd: I went in for an MRI with and without contrast. This would check for any lymph node involvement. Friday, May 23rd: That morning, we celebrated Keylei’s 8th grade promotion. Before heading to my appointment, I checked my health portal—and the MRI results were in. Not only did it confirm the mass on the right side, but it also revealed a small spot on the left. It hadn’t shown up on the mammogram or ultrasound. We met with Dr. Levine and decided to proceed with a bilateral mastectomy. He explained the MRI can sometimes show false positives, but with a mastectomy, everything would be sent to pathology for confirmation. Thankfully, the MRI didn’t show any lymph node involvement. With final pathology other reports will be completed to determine if radiation and/or chemo is needed. Surgery is scheduled for June 9th and recovery is extensive. This past month has been a whirlwind. I’m trying to stay strong for my babies, but it’s incredibly hard. I’m still processing it all, and it’s not easy to talk about. Please pray for Tim, the kids, and our entire family as we navigate this journey. I’m beyond thankful for everyone who has helped so far—from my brother and sister attending appointments when Tim couldn’t be there, to those helping with the kids, to the constant check-ins, and my job being so understanding. You all know who you are! I don’t like to ask for help, and I never want to burden anyone—but your love and support mean the world to me. I want to add that I truly believe my mom guided my hand that night. Losing her has been incredibly hard—the past 6 months has felt like absolute hell. But I know she’s with me every step of the way, and I’m grateful to have a strong support system standing beside me. 💕
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