Dear Friends: I wanted to let you all know that I have been diagnosed with a rare form of Breast Cancer called Paget’s Disease of the breast. The good news is that I have excellent medical care and we found it very early on and everything is looking positive about it not being invasive. I…
Day 16 – 08/03/2013
Been out in the RV for the weekend. Gail suggested it and it has been a wonderful distraction. Climbing hills, collecting rocks, hitting my hammer against stones hoping to break them open and find treasure. We have adventured further afield. Down into West Central, NM. We just finished up a half hour in the hot…
Day 14 – 08/01/2013
I started on my MBA today. I also got the call from Mayo to schedule my Oncology surgeon and Plastic surgeon appointments. The more I talk about solving the problem and the next steps, the less anxious I become. I think it has to do with being in control of my destiny instead of flotsam…
Day 13 – 07/31/2013
Being nice, follow up and persistence pays off. I think the most important thing is being nice. I followed up and tried to pre-schedule my MRI and plastic surgeon appointments. I know I am having surgery and I have come to terms with a double mastectomy. I just need to move forward, have the appointments…
Day 10 – 07/28/2013
Whatever you do, don’t… Read the forums and blogs. Seriously, if you want to drive yourself crazy, get frustrated and get angry that is the place to go. I read one woman’s saga and came out the other side thankful for the Mayo Clinic followed up by a theory that if you are a person…
Day 7 – 07/25/2013
Today was unfocused. I didn’t have any meeting deadlines or travel that was focusing me NOT to dwell. So instead I find myself reading the pathology report or researching or staring into the inside of my head. I have researched wigs and breast reconstruction all trying to give me the feeling that whatever is thrown…
Day 6 – 07/24/2013
For a little while you forget. You get caught in all the day to day minutiae of life. Important meetings, focus on work, just regular life. But, then you remember… You have Cancer. You wait for the call, next steps, appointments. The things you need to do to get better. “Make it Go Away!” you…
Day 4 – 07/22/2013
Monday, back to work. Which consists of getting up, getting on an airplane and going into the office. To tell the boss, or not to tell the boss. I have never been one who could not lay it out and face it. Whatever IT is. I went into the office still undecided but after talking…
Day 3 – 07/21/2013
I believe that denial is starting to set in. My mind has now decided to tell me the story of how this is ‘just the beginning stages’ and that ‘I am making it out to be more than it really is.’ I fluctuate between this being something overblown in my mind and then reading horror…
Day 2 – 07/20/2013
Yesterday was a day of tears and some static noise and more tears. I look back and know I had 3 meetings but the day stretched out till a year and seemed to go on and on. I told Jim and Suse about the diagnosis, but that I didn’t know any more. They didn’t know…