Boobs On Ice™ : Cross-Generational Cancer Chat

About 3:30 this afternoon I came upstairs after opening gifts with the family. Then did some resting after percocet and a shower. I've got no energy left for sitting downstairs and being entertained this afternoon as much as I want to be part of Christmas.

But my 9 year old granddaughter visited me in the bedroom a little while ago and she's so funny. She says this stuff that her mom would be mortified to hear about but it's so genuine. She gets my vote for family member most surprising - and most fun to talk with about hard stuff.

Among stuff I now know:

She volunteered that she "really cried" after I was taken to the operating room on Friday. She said she thought I'd be scared to be alone after they wheeled me out. The kid's right more often than she's wrong.

On the other hand, she thinks them cutting the cancer out was a good idea because "cancer is a bad thing and you just don't want to have it in your body" even if that means I have a flat place where the boobie used to be.

I told her there should be more lab tests back on Wednesday & asked if she knew what chemo was. All she needed to hear was that one word and she skipped all the fluff and went directly to the most important part: I shouldn't wear a blue spikey wig if I have to have chemo. Because "You're this old lady and having blue spikey hair would be just weird."

About My Cancer

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma
My form of breast cancer is less common than others. In fact only about 6 to 8% of cases of breast cancer are the invasive form that is based in the lobules, not in the milk ducts.
Invasive, sometimes called Infiltrating, is a scary word. In most cases this form of breast cancer has been present for 8–10 years when detected by a mammogram or physical exam.
In my case there was clearly an area that felt thickened or dense on December 6, 2007. A mammogram the next afternoon was not able to detect it but it clearly appeared on ultrasound and was confirmed by multiple biopsies the same day.
During those 8 to 10 years the cancer took to become apparent to me, there has been plenty of opportunity for those invasive cells to get out of the breast and spread to the rest of the body.
It is after all, by definition, an invasive form of cancer.
Each year about 190 thousand women are diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the US and about 40 thousand women will die of the disease. The larger the mass is when discovered the more risk. Mine had tentacled almost 5cm into the surrounding tissue and two other areas in the breast were discovered as well.
My chances of living another 10 years without cancer in another area are about 40%. The likelihood of one of my other underlying health conditions doing the job before that is 20%. it took a few months to get used to that idea.
Now though my attitude is that at least I know what I'm facing. It's just not what I expected. Life changes in an instant.

Comments

Susan, tell her you'll limit the blue spikey hair to Second Life. Although, if you have to have chemo, I'm thinking about making you some really funky crocheted caps to wear ... hmmm, I could do blue spikes ...

Posted by: Connie Reece | Dec 25, 2007 at 06:55 PM

Don't worry; if you need hair, you can have some of mine. I have plenty to spare. And you know me well enough by now to know I'll actually do it, if it comes to that. It's blond, never been dyed, EVER. Last perm was too long ago for me to remember. Just need to have it trimmed up before I don the "Poor Clare" look.

Just let me know.

Posted by: tndaisy1960 | Dec 25, 2007 at 07:04 PM

Loving the 9 y.o. grand-daughter - but disagree with her whole-heartedly. If we can't wear blue spiky wigs whenever we want, what good is getting older?

I firmly plan on transitioning from 'have been dying my hair since I was 15 so I have no idea what it is for real anymore' to 'little blue haired lady' without flinching.

If you're going to buy wigs, buy all the fun ones you can! :)

Posted by: yndygo | Dec 26, 2007 at 12:46 AM

See now...I love the idea of Nana showing her just how wild and outrageous "old ladies" can be!

Posted by: QofS | Dec 26, 2007 at 02:16 AM

You have the most awesome grand daughter! :) I'm guessing she's going to grow up in to one amazing young lady.

As for blue spikey hair? You so have to do it now.

- Neil.

Posted by: Neil Ford | Dec 26, 2007 at 07:25 AM