My Experience since past 2 months. Today was the surgery.

Hi All, I am sincerely thankful to all participants on this discussion board sharing their experiences.  I feel obligated to share my experience to hopefully help the newbie visitors.  I have been a weekly scared, silent reader, since 2 months.

So here's my experience. Age 40 1/2; I go for my annual ob/gyn test. (I go every year.)  So the doc welcomes "my age" with a crisp blue note of prescription for mammogram.  She did an in office test and everything seemed fine. 

1st mammogram: Results came in. Dr's assistant called to inform me that I needed to meet the dr. regarding the report. I ask if everything was okay?  Her assistant said, "most likely there is a concern" and that's the reason doctor wants to see me.  I am a healthy, non-smoker, non-drinker, no drugs, etc. My feelings at that time were like - not taking this seriously in a negative way.  I just wondered what could it be though.  I was concerned, but not scared.

So I go meet the dr.  She reads the results, tells me my report came as "abnormal" on left breast.  She immediately prescribed me a 2nd mammogram and 1st ultrasound, and also gave me a prescription to see a breast surgeon for consultation - after test were done, so the surgeon had those results too.

2nd mammogram and 1st ultrasound: On the mammogram they noticed 2 problems.  A tiny cluster of calcification and, on different spot "Architectural Distortion" .  So on the ultrasound, they looked for the "distortion" part and studied the shape, size, and the appearance I guess.  I was looking on the screen and I could see the part of "Architectural Distortion".  The radiology tech at that time said, in her opinion it did not look like a "problem" (aka cancerous) but the dr. has to read the report and advise what to do.  The dr. reviewed my report and suggested to schedule for an "Excisional Biopsy Surgery".  I was shocked and scared, because a surgery? it conflicted with how I was feeling - a completely healthy person. Surgery was recommended remove the tissue on calcification and area of distortion to be examined by the pathologist.

I went home all confused and scared, started internet search on calcification and distortion and all.  The more I read, I am not sure if I felt relived or even more scared, because I found plenty of information, but they were all "personal" "individual" experiences that only a lab result in pathology can find. Also, when I went home, I used my finger to locate the part of "distortion" and I could feel a "tiny pointy rock like" feel which none of the others had experienced. (I could visualize it to be like the picture I saw on the ultra sound. It had clear border with a pointy oval like structure).

Breast Surgeon Consultation: I was really scared to show up for this appointment.  This was "The Place" where my "future" would be told.  It was a reasonable time when the dr. showed up in my waiting room.  She had already studied my report and was very well prepared to discuss the options and answer my concerns.  She started out with telling me on what was found on the report and why the procedure was needed.  Then she told me how the surgery would be done which would minimize the scar and be "cosmetically" pleasing as well.  While she explained the surgery part, I think I was feeling numb and was about to break down crying. I was not prepared for this.  I then asked her upfront what would be the chance of having cancer?  She mentioned 25% chance, and 75% it was non-cancer.  At this point, the "surgery part" felt like nothing and I was engulfed with the 25% chance because that is very high. Also, I mentioned to the dr. of another lump I found on my own which none of the test picked up.  So she examined that part and believed it was "fibroadenoma changes", but to be absolutely sure before my surgery took place, she recommended I go for an ultra sound and "Fine Needle Aspiration" procedure if needed.

2nd ultra Sound: The ultra sound did not show anything.  They could not find anything. Dr. read the ultra sound report and found it okay. However, when you touch you could feel the smooth lump. Then the dr. came in and felt it as well which would not show on the ultra sound.  So the dr. performed a "Fine Needle" procedure and told me the "quick results" would be back in 4 minutes.  So while I changed and waited praying, the Dr. comes in and says "Good luck! The results are normal." He said it was just fatty tissue and nothing to worry about. I was relieved.  I had one down as normal, now 2 more to go.

Excisional Biopsy Surgery: Today morning was my surgery.  I did not get any preliminary result from the doctor because the doctor said it cannot be seen with our eye and must be examined by the pathologist under the microscope.

I have to wait 5 days for the report.  I am hoping for the best. 

[I really want to write about my experience on the surgery today, on what to expect and how it all went.  I will do that tomorrow.  I was called in at 6:30AM and left at 1:30PM.  Personally I did not find such details of the Day of surgery anywhere on this board and I think it might help others.]