The Call

We waited anxiously. In a way, kinda hoping NOT to hear from her. I have mad respect for this doctor, she and I have been together for a long time... even pregnant at the same time (Trey); so yea, we got a little bond.

About 4 something that afternoon, my cell rang from a number that I didn't have as a contact. Just the number showed... no name, no pic. "Hello" I said. "Mrs. Merrick, it's Dr. C....." She informed me that she had to pull over and talk to me cause she was on her way home. Damn I thought. She's in her car, on her personal cell but still called. This can't be good.

She begins to explain that there is need for further investigation on the lump and wanted me to see a surgeon for their opinion and possible biopsy. "A nurse, she's called a navigator, will call you in the morning to help you start setting your appointments."

Start setting my appointments,... what kind of appointments I wondered. I had no problems picking up the phone to call her or any of my other doctors.

She gave me the contact info of the provider she wanted me to see. "What kind of doctor is he" I asked. "He's a surgeon that specializes on the breast. He is the best in the area and does excellent work. This is just a precaution, we just need to see what we're dealing with and make sure it's nothing."

We did a little more small talk and called it an evening.

A.D. stood near by for the entire conversation and saw the change in my expressions and body language. Of course he wanted details of the conversation and that he got. "So they think it's something more that a lump?" "I don't know" I replied "but they want me to get looked at further and possibly get a biopsy." After a little cuddling and consoling he says "they just making sure my baby is fine...that's all... and I know you are."

That night I couldn't sleep. The mere thought this could be something more than a lump that needed to plucked and discarded frightened me. Though no one has said it yet, we knew what this could possibly lead to. "It couldn't be that though, there is no family history of breast cancer."


The next day around 10ish, I got a call from Alisha, the nurse navigator. She happened to catch me while in physical therapy. She explained that she would be guiding me along the way and if I needed anything was to let her know. I filled her in on my recent injury and recovery process and that any appointment with this new doctor would need to work around that. She called and got that set up for me.

My guess was that was just if for her, she works with the hospital to find the right provider and schedule for patients. This chick called me at least 2 times a week, at first it didn't bother me. Now that my head was clearing a bit, I began to really wonder what in the world was a Nurse Navigator. Per the trusty web, a nurse navigator is a nurse trained to advocate, and coordinate care for cancer patients. WHHHATT!! I felt and immediate rush of heat, fear, worry...just tons of emotions at the same time. "Are they really saying I doo have cancer, cause Dr. C. didn't say that. She just wanted to get this lump looked at further" were my thoughts.

In my next conversation with Alisha, I had to to ask "are they saying I have cancer?" she took the professional way outta this one. "Well they just want me to help you get through this precautionary period. Dr. Q will be able to tell us more." blah blah blah blah... was what I heard after that. My heart dropped when I got off the phone with her. "There is no family history of this disease, so why do they believe it's plaguing me.?"

Next step, meet with Dr. Q, have him do an evaluation and give a diagnosis I guess about this lump.