The Twilight Zone

Here I am, with breast cancer living life as if nothing is different when actually everything is different. Or really, everything could be different, who knows?? I want to know specifics but all I know are generalities. i have spoken to so many people, nice, generous people who have shared information and personal stories so that I feel informed, or more informed than before. But I realize now that I need to know my particular information and I won’t  know that until I met with the doctors and get more information about my particular case. I will need an MRI and maybe a lymph node biopsy and whatever else the doctors order.

I have learned several things already:

1. Do not go to an appointment alone. Bring someone who will write things down or maybe even bring a tape recorder if the doctor says okay

2. Every case is different.

3. You have to be patient with the health care system.

4. Some people I know very well have had breast cancer and chose not to share it with me. Now they are willing to talk about it to help me through my ordeal. I really appreciate that they would do that for me. Some people are private and keep everything to themselves. Not me, as I had said before, I would discuss my appendix and feel this condition is the same. Whether I will get into specifics of what I chose to do in treatment or reconstruction, etc. is another story.

5. Time goes very slow when you are waiting for an appointment. it is only 5 days since I learned I have breast cancer and it feels like forever!!