Biopsy #2

Dr. R. calls me a couple days later to check on me. All is well, just some swelling, bruising and some soreness. She tells me that I need to come back and do another biopsy for the underarm (axillary) area. It needed to be done in the Comprehensive Breast Center so we could utilize the higher tech machines.

Appointment

Got there ON TIME :) did all the paperwork and followed the nurse to the exam room. Yup! did the drill... take off everything from the waist up and put on the paper gown. The nurses; there were 2 this time, 1 new from another hospital, prepped me. One put gel under my arm and located the areas in question. My eyes were glued to the monitor. It didn't take her long at all to locate the area and found several masses. I was shaken by every mass she found after the first, I anticipated them maybe finding only one.... Not 3. She then marks their locations and calls for Dr.R.

Dr. R. was in a meeting but made it down quickly. We make a some small talk as she looks over some info the nurse handed to her and says, "well, I don't think you're going to like me when I'm done today, I've gotta take quiet a few samples." Even though I could feel the pressure the actual procedure wasn't too bad.

The samples taken looked like small pieces of flesh.

Now all I had to do was get up, dressed, and head home. NOT SO EASY! Damn, I was hurting so much the nurses had to help me sit up. My left side was numb! swollen! hard! stiff! swollen!... oh did I mention swollen! OMG! I was in so much pain the nurses had to help me get dressed after they bandaged me up.

Back at the truck I had to use my right hand to reach over and get the buckle. I was seeing freaking stars everywhere. I called A.D. to fill him in. He felt bad because he wasn't there and suggested I waited there for him to come help me. Hell nah, I needed to get home, some pain pills, and my bed....but first I had to make it to CVS across the street.

At CVS

I had so much trouble finding what I was looking for, all the boxes looked the same, the pharmacist had to help me. I made sure to purchase a drink as well cause I needed to get the relieve Tylenol promised. Back in my truck the painful task of buckling up came up again, I contemplated simply driving without it but decided to ask for help. A car with 3 ladies pulled up. Soooo, unlike me I say "excuse me..." and explain my situation and that I needed them to simply help me buckle up. "Thank you miss," they had no idea how much they helped a sista out.

Once I got home, I grabbed a larger ice pace, went to my room, took off my jeans and laid my ass down. What a day.

Now all I had to do was wait for the results. April 21, 2010 appointment.

Anticipation! Fear! Sleepless Nights! Fear! Anxiety! Fear!

Biopsy #1

Between my last visit with Dr. Q. and my first biopsy, there have been several other appointments but I will bypass them. They were more overwhelming than anything else.


April 2010

Back in Dr. R's office. My routine is beginning it seems like. A jolly nurse calls for me. "Mrs. Merrick?...hheeeeyyy come on back. I'm Nichole, Dr. R.'s nurse....." She escorts me and A.D. to a patient room to wait for the doctor. Before she leave she tells me to go ahead and remove everything from the waist up.

A few minutes later Dr. R. comes in with Nichole. While the doctor is informing us on the procedure she's about to do, I see Nichole busying herself pulling and placing a bunch of needles and medical equipment on the counter. Still in their sterile packaging she had them all lined up in some kinda order it would seem. Then she starts fussing with ultrasound machine and some other cumbersome contraption. I know I should be listening to what the doc is saying but all this stuff has my attention. I was really beginning to wonder about this biopsy, it looks like serious business. A.D. was there as well and I know he caught all her info.

They put up a paper barrier. It resembles the ones you may see them use when a mother has a C-section. A.D. was able to stay with me and witnessed the entire thing. Yea, he handled it well,... shoot! He's seen me deliver 3 babies; one deceased; so this wasn't much for him. The only thing I can tell you is that the numbing medication burned a bit and the machine was a bit archaeic sounding, LOUD! All else other than that was explained to me.

There was a small incission made and she inserted a long tubular mechanism used to extract tissue. She repeated this 6 or 7 times, each ending with a click. It didn't hurt at all, just a LOT of pressure. They of course tried to occupy my mind with small chat but, If you know me, I wanted to know what was going on. Kinda surprised them a bit so I explained how I requested pics from my achilles repair. "I don't get many patients like this" Dr. R. laughs. "I know, I'm a little different like that."

After that process, Nicole had to hold a compress on my for about 10 minutes. Dr. R. said this would reduce swelling and bruising. Before she parted, I had to see the samples she took. They look like little white pieces of... grizzle... I guess. I was then bandaged up and sent home to rest.

Now to wait for results.