The Big "C" - Part I (My Cancer Story)

On December 11, 2012, I received the long awaited phone call from my Doctor.

A week before I had a trans-vaginal ultrasound in which a mass was visible in my uterus. That day as I waited for the Doctor to come into the Examination Room I could hear him talking to a colleague outside the door..."cancer...blah, blah, blah...cancer...or it could be a polyp..."  As they were talking, all I could think was "how unprofessional" - shouldn't they be having this conversation somewhere else?  Some place where I didn't have to overhear it.  I was quite certain that I had cancer, but at this point I wasn't ready to accept the harsh reality and certainly didn't want to hear the Doctor discussing it so impartially.

The message on the answering machine said, "This is Dr. B.  I have the results of your biopsy.  Call me at 000-000-0000."  I hadn't recognized the phone number on the digital display, so I hadn't answered the call.  With shaking fingers, I returned Dr. B's call.  He wasn't available, so I left a message with his nurse.  About a half hour later, she returned my call.  "Dr. B wants you to come in to the Office."

I almost dropped the phone.  I had a sinking feeling in my stomach.  I knew the reason he wanted me to come in to the Office was to tell me in person that I had cancer.

I drove to Dr. B's Office and rode the elevator to the third floor.  I had to wait about fifteen minutes for him to come in to the Examination Room where the nurse had told me to wait.

"The Pathologist bungled your biopsy," Dr. B. said.  "Does that mean I need another biopsy?"  I thought to myself.  "They redid it and that's what took so long," he continued; "Squamous cells are present. You need a Radical Hysterectomy.  Nobody in Northern Colorado does that kind of surgery.  You'll have to go to Denver.  Here's the phone number for Dr. D." (he chuckled because the Doctor to whom he was referring  had the same last name as me).  Dr. B also said he would order a CT Scan because I needed one before the appointment with Dr. D.  I'm sure I asked him some pertinent questions, but I can't remember what I said.  I do remember him saying he would do my follow-up after the surgery.

I drove home and thought, "That's it?  I have cancer and that's all the Doctor says...  Shouldn't I be referred to some kind of Cancer Support Group?  Shouldn't the Doctor kind of... ummm...care?"