Whenever I hear that someone is going through a rough time, I'm always curious how it all started.
Well, my rough patch has started and here's how it all began.
In November 2017, we decided to change our insurance from full-coverage to a high deductible with an HSA account. As a result, I decided to get all the medical stuff done so we would be good for the year. Up to that point, we had hardly any medical visits (excepts for Ben's weekly speech therapy). So, I got my yearly physical, pap, mammogram, blood work, etc. Except for low cholesterol, everything came out OK, well, except for the mammogram. I had the mammo on 12/18/2017 and a week later they called to say there was an irregular spot on the mammo. They requested I get a follow-up diagnostic mammo and ultrasound. We were in Utah for Christmas vacation and things were crazy. I wasn't too worried about it. Everyone has irregularities and it didn't seem like anything I really needed to worry about.
When we returned from Utah, we brought back Michael's children, Lucy and Isaac. That was a busy month with 5 children ages 6 and under. Plus, Lucy was trying to potty train and Isaac was trying to sleep train. I didn't have any time to follow up on the mammo. To the credit of the hospital/dr's office. They kept calling me to schedule a follow up. I finally made an appointment mid-February but it was such a hectic time (having just been gone back to Utah to return kiddos and go to Michael's wedding) that I canceled that appointment. Again, they hospital called and even sent me a letter to follow up.
I finally made an appointment for Tuesday, April 3rd at 8 am. Lars was able to stay with the children in the morning so I could go. It started off like any other appointment though I really didn't want to do the follow up mammo. I was hoping they could just do the U/S so my payment part would be less. Truthfully, part of the reason I delayed so long is that I just didn't want to pay for it.
They talked me into doing both the diagnostic mammo and U/S. The mammo confirmed the spot was still there and gave a better location for the U/S to find it. The U/S found it and measured it to be .99cm. The radiologist came in to talk to me about it. The spot was found to have spiculation which means it has spike-like projections. Then, she dropped the bomb. There is a 97% chance this is cancer.
