Molly's Musings/ Brawley's Boobs-- WHATEVER!: Welcome Karen

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Welcome Karen

With mixed feelings, I welcome yet another ACC/breast sister to my blog. I met Karen on my rare cancer forum. I am so glad we have all found each other but it is with heavy heart that yet another woman, or anyone for that matter, has to deal with such a scary journey.

We MUST find a cure for cancer. I bet there is not one of you out there who has not been impacted by it at some level. Let's hope 2009 brings us closer to a cure.

Molly

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A Quick History

February 2007
Found the lump. It was painful.
March 2007
Diagnostic Mammogram--NOTHING shows up
Ultrasound--NOTHING shows up
April 2007
Visit surgeon, since lump is still there and is painful.
Decide to wait 3 months and cut out caffeine
July 2007
Lump still there and hurts.
July 19, 2007
Diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma after biopsy on July16; tumor didn't look encapsulated...which was "worrisome" Triple Negative, which all ACC is...
PET/CT scan-- shows nothing, including remaining tumor in breast
MRI--shows nothing in either breast, including remaining tumor
August 7, 2007
Lumpectomy. Couldn't get clear margins. Sentinel nodes were negative.
September 7, 2007
Simple right mastectomy; tissue expander inserted during surgery. 6.1 cm tumor. (STUPID BIG!!!)Stage III because of size of tumor.
No chemo or radiation because it doesn't work on ACC/breast.
September--February 2008
Weekly saline injections for reconstruction
February 7, 2008
Silicone implant placed.
March 2008
follow up tests with oncologist.
March 31, 2008
mammo normal, chest x-ray and CT normal
August 2008
Areola tattooed on
September 2008
MRI of left breast--negative for cancer; negative chest xray ordered after chronic cough. Scheduled PET/CT for March, along with mammo on both breasts
October 2008
Tattoo is "settled' and color deemed satisfactory. Scheduled nipple procedure for 12/12/08.
December 12, 2008
New nipple sewn. Easy process but it is really ugly.
December 18, 2008
Breast exam with Dr. Kalinowski. All is good. Next appointment with her is in June of 2009.
December 30, 2008
Nipple check. Looks very good according to Dr. M. Have to go back in February for a follow up for nipple, and also a one year follow up for my Memory Gel implants.
March 12, 2009
Mammo of left breast clear. PET/CT negative for anything. (They did a big scan of my neck to look for the salivary cancer and to make sure my schwannoma wasn't growing) Blood work normal! See onco in September for chest x-ray and blood work.

September 2oo9, March 2o1o

I forgot to write about this, but I had blood work and chest xray and both were negative.

April 2010

Mammo of left breast shows something suspicious. Radiologist wants to see me in 6 weeks. Turns out to be clear. Mammo again in one year.

October 2010

All clear on chest xray, but blood work shows low hemoglobin of 10.5. I am now on iron pills. Low iron is attributed to menstrual cycle.

May 2011

Hemoglobin is normal; mammo was normal, but not until doctor did an ultrasound (I make them paranoid); got "the call" I had been dreading about my xray, but it turned out to be the same granuloma I have had for about 15 years. Dr. Ansari says he will put me on a yearly regime when I reach 5 years. Not sure if I agree with that. But for now, all is well!

July/August 2011

Running a fever that is unexplained. Had a CT scan 8/8/11 of the chest and it came back clear (RELIEF) but family doc wants me to see Ansari. All blood work has been normal so far.

November 2011

Chest x-ray fine, Vitamin D level really low. Starting Vitamin D 1ooo u one a day.

April 2012

Breast MRI because of some strange pains in left breast/muscle area. Did both left and implant side. All looks normal.