Featured in the Lakeshore Weekly News
Today more than ever we seem to be living in a world that is
either viewed as a glass half empty or a glass half full. We are also entering that time of year when
we try to see the glass as half full, and be thankful that it is.
Lately my glass has been filled, emptied, dirtied, turned
upside down, spun around, cleaned and placed back half full. For the most part
I am for some, that annoying optimist who can and does find the silver lining
in difficult situations.
I find beauty and opportunity in mistakes, I’m thankful for
difficulties that force me down a different path, because I’ve been fortunate
to learn that sometimes a late flight means you avoided an airline disaster.
Sometimes road construction means taking a different route and discovering
along the new route what becomes your favorite restaurant. The right time at
the right place is often not where we think we need to be or when.
Simply, I try not to question challenges or things that
appear to make my life more difficult, beyond evaluating them for what I’m
supposed to learn from the situation. With my recent difficulty, I’ve been holding
on to and remind myself of this.
October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I was due for a
physical and hadn’t had a mammogram in five years. I’m 46 years old with a
family history of breast cancer on both sides.
A few days after my routine mammogram, I was called back in
for further imaging. This didn’t worry me, as it is fairly routine when you
have what’s called dense breast tissue.
After further imaging I was told I needed a biopsy due to a suspicious
area of microcalcifications and a mass. Calcifications in breast tissue are not
uncommon as women age, but clusters of small calcifications called microcalcifications
are sometimes associated with breast cancer.
The next day I had a biopsy. It was an agonizing five days
before those results became available. Something happened at the Pathologist
office and my slides had to be redone. Normally it takes two business days.
During those five days my mind of course went to high and
low places. What kept me sane during
that time, was knowing that my worst case scenario was I had early stage breast
cancer, something that is very treatable today.
My biopsy results came back not showing cancer but abnormal
cell growth, often found around cancer. My next step is a lumpectomy, which is
a surgery to remove a lump of breast tissue.
At this point the only way to know for sure if I have breast
cancer, is to remove the mass and an area around it for further testing. Here is the thing though, the likelihood of
there being no cancer is higher than there being cancer. The odds are in my favor. We just want to be
sure.
I’ve met with my surgeon and we are in the process of
scheduling the surgery for the lumpectomy. Once the mass is removed it should
take two days for the pathology report to come back.
My worst case scenario is hopeful because of the men and
women who came before me. My situation is hopeful because of the individuals
who made research possible, the ones who made early detection possible.
I scheduled my mammogram in large part because I’m often
reminded of the importance of having one by friends on Facebook. Because of
local women like Judy Erdahl of Deephaven, who has openly shared her journey
with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer. Because of women like Holly Raby from
Shorewood, who shares her experience with Breast Cancer, who has spoken at
local events in Excelsior. Because of these and other women being vocal, I
scheduled a mammogram.
There are many others in our community who have been
publicly open with their experience. I’m so thankful for that. My situation is a
hopeful one because of early detection, because these women won’t keep quiet
about what they are dealing with.
The odds are in my favor that my lumpectomy will not turn up
cancer, but if it does my treatment options will be very effective, because of
those who came before me. My situation
will be very different because it was caught early.
Never underestimate the influence one voice can have, or the
difference a passing comment can make. Use that voice wisely. Women like Erdahl
and Raby are examples of that, and yes, the glass can be half-full even it it’s
cancer. They are shining examples of
that.
Imperfectly Yours,
Natalie
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