New Life in Texas! (2006 - 2007)

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

New Life in Texas! (2006 - 2007)

I was behind the wheel of the biggest U-Haul truck and my oldest daughter, Cassi, driving my car, we started out from Madison, WI headed for Ft. Hood, TX. Once we got to Ft. Hood, TX, my youngest daughter, Mallary, her husband, Nathan, and my grandson, Camdon would be meeting us at the visitor's center of post. My new life and residence would be living on an army post while my son-in-law deployed to Iraq for a 12 - 15 month deployment.

Needless to say I was pretty excited. I couldn't wait to see my daughter and family and live in warmer climate. My little moving caravan arrived on post on August 1, 2006 and life began again.

Not long after, my oldest daughter, Cassi, and her husband, Nick, moved from Appleton, WI to the the Killeen/Waco, TX area also. It was official, we all were becoming Texans!

By April of 2007, I had established myself in my own home and was working at the local paper, selling advertising. My daughter and family had bought a new house off post and everything for everyone was looking up. Life was good and I was enjoying myself. It seemed life was settling down and heading in the right direction. Then one morning, staring at me from my bathroom room mirror was a lump on my left breast. As I stood there staring back at it, I thought "Were you there last month?"

Okay, we all have intuition and mine kicked in big time. I grabbed my phone and called my new doctor. I was to come in that afternoon to be seen. My stomach and nerves jumped around all day.

Once in the doctor's office, in less than five minutes, I had a referral to Waco to the Breast Imaging Center within the Hillcrest Baptist Hospital system. Now, I stressed about another problem: insurance and finances. I had only been with my employer 4 months, my insurance benefits hadn't started yet. They began at 5 months. How was I to pay for a mammogram and pathology? Thank God, for the Komen Foundation which covered mammogram, biopsy, and ultrasound if needed. Before I left the doctor's office I had my appointment for the mammogram.

I went to my appointment, by myself, for a mammogram. I thought I could handle it, because I had been given a "clean" bill of health only a year ago. How could I have cancer this quick? Besides this lump was big. Big enough to be seen with a naked eye and I was positive I did not have it last month.

After the proceedure was finished and I was waiting in the lobby, the nurse came out and asked me if I could stay for a biopsy and ultrasound? What the heck was happening? Of course I'd stay. I called a friend and they came to meet me at the hospital. Things seemed to be moving very fast and I was not on sure ground.

Now, biopsies are nothing to be afraid of and don't hurt because you are numbed up. When you see size of the needles, don't pass out. Since that first biopsy, I've had plenty more and can usually tell the doctor what gauge they need to use to get a good sample from me. There is a little tugging and you'll hear a click, then a small sample is extracted for pathology to diagnose. The trick is to get enough sample to get a conclusive result.

Finally the biopsy is finished and I was told I would have my results in a few days. My son-in-law, Nate, was due home for some R&R, (mid-April) and I decided to wait to mention my "discovery" until I had all the kids in one room.