New TN and Scared!

I have been reading every word of every post on this board for the past month and am so thankful you are all here.

12/23/15 I went for my first ever screening mammogram (went to doctor for general check up and he said "Oh your over 40 and should get a mammogram, here's a script.") That was the start of my nightmare.

12/28/15 got a call from my doctor telling me I needed a follow up due to "dense breasts."

12/30/15 had follow up mammogram and ultrasound. Was told I needed a biopsy of both breasts.

01/07/16 had ultrasound guided biopsy on right breast, they weren't sure where to biopsy on the left so they didn't do it then.

01/11/16 got a call to go to surgeon and oncologists office and was told "Sorry, you have cancer."

01/14/16 had MRI - which I thought was the worst experience (little did I know.)

01/20/16 had Stereotactic biopsy on left breast - that was the worst, cried through the whole thing.

01/21/16 had PET/CT scan.

01/22/16 had CT guided lymph node biopsy on right.

01/25/16 back to the surgeon and oncologists office. Left breast - benign. PET - good except for right breast and right lymph nodes which I expected. No results on lymph node biopsy at this point.

01/26/16 had Power Port put in on left side of chest - Chemo first, then surgery.

01/26/16 - after being discharged from having the power port put in, we drove to the other entrance of the hospital and went to medical records to see if the pathology report from the lymph node biopsy was in and it was. Results read "Metastatic Non-Small Cell Carcinoma" - WHAT??

01/26/16 - called the surgeon and oncologists office (BTW - they are in the same office) freaking out about "Metastatic Non-Small Cell Carcinoma" and was simply told all that basically meant was that I had cancer and since the PET didn't show in my lungs that it was not in my lungs, but since there is only a 25% chance that chemo will work, let's go ahead and do surgery first, then chemo. WHAT??

I want to mention that all the above was done by my employer (Easton Hospital.) I work in their billing office. They have exactly 1 nurse navigator who through all of the above was on vacation, off for the New Years holiday, out sick and then off for a week, again on vacation. I had to figure out how to find a surgeon, oncologist and schedule all tests and biopies by myself (except for the lymph node biopsy - the only thing she did for me.) The worst experience of my life.

02/02/16 - had 2nd opinion with Saint Luke's. WOW....they spent 4 hours with me and my husband. What a difference. I think they actually know what they are doing and have change everything over to them. (And because I have been paying attention to what all you wonderful ladies have been saying on these boards I was prepared. I had a copy of all reports and disks just like everyone said to do - THANK YOU.)

I have MUGA tomorrow and am scheduled for 1st chemo on 02/10/16.

There's other bits of information I'm sure I've missed - but I think I've covered most of what's happen. This is a lot of typing!

Thank you for letting me vent and get this all out. Thank you for listening and for just being there.

Maryann