I took my friends, Pat & Maurene to the surgeon’s appointment on June 28th. We met Dr. G and Jane.  Dr. G explained that when it came to breast cancer surgery there were only 2 options: lumpectomy or mastectomy. He also explained that radiation (follows lumpectomy) and an oral medication would be part of the treatment plan. He explained both surgical options and then asked me what I wanted to do. So I asked him for his opinion and he said he didn’t want to influence me either way. Seriously? Well I thought that was a little odd, isn’t that your job (no liability issues I guess). How the heck should “I” know what to do, it’s been like a minute!

I told him that I was always of the mindset that “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” so I opted for lumpectomy (it’s a dot). He said I was a very good candidate for that – oh, ok good to know (I would later read, in my generic white breast cancer binder, that in MANY cases a lumpectomy is just as successful in preventing recurrence as a mastectomy – didn’t know that). He asked me if I had any plans I needed to work around in July and I said NO, let’s do this asap. So surgery was scheduled five days later, July 3rd. I thought perfect – I would celebrate the 4th of July being cancer free! A little poetic I thought, Independence Day.

So they set me up with pre-op appointments that afternoon and sent me home with a large white 3-ring binder of information on breast cancer. SERIOUSLY – I have stickin’ breast cancer and you send me home with a generic white binder in a little carrying bag? It had a black & white picture of 4 women on the front of it. SERIOUSLY, that’s the best you could do????? I didn’t need it blinged out buuuutttttt it could have had a bit more thought put into it! (p.s. working on that – LOL)