B(r)e(a)st Wishes Part 2

Part 2

Rewind to 2019

After our annual physical exam (kaya nga ba lagi ko ako kinakabahan pag may ganito eh) last March 2019, the recommendations included a regular mammogram and ultrasound as the doctor felt something on my left breast. I had both M&U in April and naalala ko pa, I asked permission to go on leave para dito (Holy Wednesday yun, half day na lang ang mga clinics) pero I was not allowed kasi may meeting daw kami 😭😭😭 

Although I got a benign finding, the reports said to have an annual mammogram and 6 months short interval follow-up ultrasound. Masunurin naman ako, so October, I had them again, with ganun uli, 6 months short interval follow-up.

If not for the pandemic this year, I would have had my follow up last April. Dahil masunurin nga, as soon as nalift yung ECQ, I asked for a request from Doc Bing, our company doctor para makapunta na ko uli sa Hi-P. So, ayun, 3rd trip na last Sept 8. And the 3rd time's not a charm. 😔😔😔

I got a BIRADS Category 4A finding, low suspicion for malignancy. Meron daw "ill-defined hypodensity" sa left breast ko. Thing is, hindi yun yung minomonitor for the past year, iba pa. Yung una kasi, sa inner quadrant. Now, while still sa left, nasa other side. And super sakit po ng ultrasound. Yung mammo, surprisingly, hindi eh. 

Upon Doc Bing's advice, I tried to check out popular breast surgeons but I didn't know where to start. Parang lost ako and I was worried na mahirap makahanap ng slot or makakuha ng appointment. I consulted my ever reliable kumare, who referred me to a colleague in Medical Center Muntinlupa (MCM). So ayun, I was told the mass (palpable and painful na ever since the ultrasound, ikaw ba naman diinan nang diinan) should either be biopsied or removed. Although 80% naman daw ng ganitong cases are benign. 🙏🙏🙏

Of course, the mere thought of undergoing surgery, hindi madali i-process, yung anxiety, yung sleepless nights...but at the same time, you have to decide agad. I opted for it over biopsy because I was assured that only the mass will be removed. Unlike my predicament 4 years ago (na buti na lang nagpabiopsy lang ako because it turned out removing my thyroids was unnecessary). Tapos ang dami pa protocols ngayon. Ang hirap magpa-hospital. And ang dami kong trabaho! Sabi ko kay Lord, magbibirthday po muna ko ha. Makapagcelebrate po muna...

Fast forward, nagpaschedule na ko last Sept 26, a Saturday but was moved to Sept 28 due to the anesthesiologist's availability (later ko na lang nadiscover na popular pala siya!). Shout-out po to our HR and corporate accounts, aside from Doc Bing, who were very helpful and patient and accommodating. Salamat po sa inyo. Had to complete the required tests, including swab test, at least a week before. Kaya po nung birthday ko, nasa hospital ako for the first part of the day. Torture din yung paghintay ng results. Pano kung positive, pano kung may problem sa ECG or xray or blood test. Tanong, masakit ba yung swab test. By the time na naramdaman ko yung sundot sa ilong, at muntik ko na masipa yung nurse, eh tapos na pala LOL 😆😆😆

On our way to the hospital para magpa-admit, clutching my rosary, bigla ako napaisip. Tama ba na hindi na ko nagconsult sa ibang doctors? Yung mga what-ifs ko, biglang nagsulputan. Pero andyan na eh. Kasabay ko sa ER was a guy na nadulas sa workplace kaya hinatid ng kasamahan, bloodied :( waaahhhhhh 😰😰😰

So yun na nga. Nung inaalis na yung IV nung umaga, except dun sa pinapasukan ng antibiotics, yahoooo medyo ok na ko, wala nang hawak na sabitan pag magC-CR, excited na ko to go home. I was discharged Sept 29, na wala ni piso akong binayad sa MCM. Sabi ko naku, mukhang may excess ako nito, seeing my bill. Nagulat din ako na ganun pala kamahal. Itataya ko na 13th month ko na pambayad.  Later on, I was informed that InLife covered everything. This too merits a special shout out. Salamat, InLife. I was so touched and was moved to tears when I got the text. May reimbursement pa ko, oh my God.

So ang tawag po ay partial mastectomy. Partial lang po, at 'intact" pa. Thank you to my surgeon, anesthesiologist and nurses for taking care of me. While on leave, naging therapy ko si Add to Cart  and I was able to spend time with my kids. The bliss of waking up na walang alarm  Pero masakit po sya, sa totoo lang. As mentioned, malalim po ang naiwan. Sa gabi, hindi po ako nakakatulog sa paghanap ng tamang pwesto because I couldn't sleep either on my left or right side...and it's painful when it's cold or raining. Thus, the pain relievers. I have a high tolerance for pain, pero sabi po ng doctor ko, wag ko tiisin. Plus I had to wear the elastic bandage over the dressing for a week, inaalis lang pag maliligo.

Yung follow up check-up ko a week after, nun lang inalis yung dressing, so first time ko nakita ang 'bikini cut' ko sa dibdib. Ampanget po, pramis. Depressing :( 😔😔😔

The histopath report took a long while. I was already "back-to-work" when my doctor got it last Oct 12. Kaya hindi po ako makapagkwento agad, I was waiting for the findings. Kaya apologies po sa mga nagtatanong kung ano ang nangyari at hindi ko po kayo masagot. And another thing, medyo nakakahiya din po di ba. Medyo personal and sensitive…And my story has no ending yet. Yung pabalik-balik ka sa hospital, kabisado mo na yung health declaration form, ulit ulit ang rosary mo, tapos yung kasabay ko na naman sa OPD triage, nakalulon ng bubog. What?!! Lord, why me :( 😨😨😨

Diagnosis: fibrocystic change with focal atypical intraductal hyperplasia. Paki-Google na lang please 😆😆😆 But wait there's more. An immunohistochemical staining test with CK5 was requested to rule out malignancy. Dun tayo sa word na "atypical", yun ang dahilan why balik na naman ako sa lab last Oct 16 to submit the request and payment. And eto na naman ang matagal na hintayan...To be continued...