Just one day before meeting with the plastic surgeon, my genetics counselor called.
"I have good news—we received results for all 70 genes back."
Okay, YES! I had been expecting results for just the core 12 genes related to breast cancer, but now I’d get the full picture—all 70 at once.
Then she said it.
"All 70 genes are negative. No mutations."
Within the limits of what they can test for, my cancer wasn’t caused by genetics, and I wasn’t at high risk for other cancers.
WOO HOO! 🎉
Let’s Break It Down—Second-Grade Style:
1️⃣ I have a tumor in my left breast that started in my milk duct and spread outside the duct
2️⃣ MRI showed there are no other tumors in either breast
3️⃣ Axillary Ultrasound confirmed it hasn’t traveled to my lymph nodes
4️⃣ I do not have any gene mutations
I can’t even explain the relief of having these results before my appointment with Dr. Cantwell. Knowing that this cancer was, for lack of a better term, a fluke (my words, not anyone else’s) helped me breathe easier. Sure, there are environmental factors, habits, and decisions that haven’t exactly contributed to stellar health choices, but for now, I wasn’t dwelling on those.
Rethinking My Options
From the moment I heard “You have cancer,” my plan was simple:
"I’m going to have a double mastectomy (later I learned the alternate term is bilateral mastectomy). Take them both. Make sure the cancer is gone and there’s no chance of getting it again. Do reconstruction. Make things even."
But now, with more knowledge, more conversations, and more time to reflect, I was reconsidering.
Dr. Olimpiadi had shared that she always prefers to do the least amount of surgery whenever possible and where it makes sense. At one point, it even felt like she was nudging me toward a lumpectomy—but I had ruled that option out long ago. Why? Because as I mentioned in Lesson 3, I wanted to avoid radiation if I could help it.
In my research and conversations with other cancer thrivers, I had seen firsthand the long-term effects radiation can have on a person. If I could steer clear of it - by gosh dang it, I was going to.
So now, it wasn’t about choosing a bilateral mastectomy—I was considering a unilateral mastectomy instead. But before making my final decision, I needed to know exactly what Dr. Cantwell, the plastic surgeon, could do for me.
The next step was here. And I was ready.
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