I have cancer

Guess what? I have cancer.

To be more specific I have invasive ductile carcinoma in my right breast and ductile carcinoma in situ in my left breast. WTF!?

Here's the basic timeline:

January 22nd

I found a lump in my right breast and made an appointment with the nurse practitioner at my doctor's office.

January 29th

I had mammograms done of both breasts. I knew things weren't good when I was pulled in for an ultrasound too. Afterwards the radiologist tells me it doesn't look good and I need biopsies of both breasts. Holy Crap, both breasts!?!?!

February 3rd

I had an ultrasound biopsy of my right breast. Not a fun way to spend the afternoon, but I felt fine going to work the next day.

February 16th

Part I:

Keith and I meet with my breast surgeon (Dr. Z) and he confirms that I have invasive ductile carcinoma in my right breast. We spend an hour and a half learning more than we ever wanted to know about breast cancer.

Part II:

I had my other biopsy later this afternoon. This one was a stereotactic biopsy and I thought it'd be easier, but no such luck. I was a mess, nervous at first and bleeding like a stuck pig at the end (actual horror show stuff). Thankfully Dr. Z's partner came over and figured out what was going on and got it all under control.

February 18th

Keith and I met with Dr. Z again today. The preliminary pathology report on the left breast is back and I have cancer there too. It is much earlier stage, but it is strange to have cancer in both sides (especially since I'm pretty young). The doctor thinks I may have the breast cancer gene. I'll know for sure when the genetic testing comes back. An interesting aside, the breast cancer gene is called BRCA and those letters don't stand for Breast Cancer but for Berkeley, California (the city where it was discovered).

Things are moving quickly now...I got myself scheduled for surgery tomorrow. Nothing big, Dr. Z will put in a port (for my chemo that I'll start soon), take some more samples of the lump in my right breast (to do some genetic testing) and to do a skin biopsy on my right breast too. This is just an outpatient thing, so I'll be home relaxing tomorrow night.

Between Keith and I we're going to keep this up to date as much as possible. It'll be an easier way to get information to our family and friends all at once.

Thanks in advance for all your good thoughts, well wishes and help during this craptastic time. We'll be pulling out on the other side before too long!! Our spirits are high, we've got good smart people working on this and we'll figure it out.