I feel like I've been apologizing a lot lately!

I'm just not into the blogging thing right now... I've got so much to catch up on, but it's going to have to wait just a bit longer.

My world has been turned upside down lately.

Before I left for Australia I went for a check up with my OB/GYN... the reason isn't really important at this point, but this is what it led to:
My doctor found a "mass" in my right breast. Now ladies, here's where I preach to you (and to myself) just a tad...
You know those "self breast exams" that your doctor reminds you to do at every appointment? Do you do them? I don't... well I should say, I didn't... I will now.
In my defense... my doctor told me that even if I had been doing them I may not have felt this particular "mass" because of it's location. STILL... DO YOUR EXAMS!

Fast forward to Tuesday, September 16th... I'm tired from traveling 2 days to get home from Australia, but I have an appointment with a Surgical Specialist. I called my AMAZING neighbor, Becky, (who always bails me out when I need somewhere to drop my kiddo) and I was off to have an ultrasound to determine what this "mass" could possibly be.

I had several ultrasounds during my two pregnancies so I didn't see any reason for Brandon to go with me.

Boy! I should have rethought that!
The ultrasound showed "questionable results". Results that made the doctor decided to do a biopsy... THAT DAY... THAT APPOINTMENT... IMMEDIATELY AFTER MY ULTRASOUND. We're talking, "don't even get up from the exam table... wait here, I'll be right back with a device that will inflict incredible pain on you."

People, it was BAD! You know how you think childbirth is the worst pain you'll ever endure? Well at the end of childbirth you have a beautiful baby to show for all of your work...
You know what you get at the end of a biopsy? Swelling, bruising, TONS of blood, an incision and 2 very LONG days to wait for results.
At one point I was crying and shaking so hard that I honestly did not think I was going to make it through this procedure without someone physically holding me to the table.
Now, ONE pass with the biopsy needle would have been tolerable... I had not one. Not two, but THREE passes. After the 2nd one I requested more drugs!
If you are interested in the "gory" details... shoot me an e-mail. I'll spare everyone else!

So, the biopsy results are expected back on that Thursday and my appointment is set for 3:00. On Wednesday my doctor calls me (personally, I might add... did I mention I really like this doctor!) to tell me that she talked to the guy over at pathology and so far the results are negative... HOWEVER, she talked to someone in radiology who suggested she order a mammogram.

Ok Ladies... All those who have had a mammogram say, "OUCH!" I had never had one before... I had heard it would be painful... Painful on a "normal" patient? Eh, slightly uncomfortable... Painful on a gal who had a biopsy 2 days earlier? HECK YEAH!
The girl that did my mammogram felt so bad... she had never had a patient who had had a biopsy first. She was trying to be extra careful, but let's face the facts here... she had to squeeze me to death and I had a fresh (attempting to heal) incision... anyone know what happened next?
Yep, the incision opened back up! Fresh blood. YUM!

So, I was more than a little sore on Thursday afternoon.

Just before 3:00, Brandon and I go to the hospital to pick up my mammogram films to take to my appointment. We met our WONDERFUL friend, Trish (who by the way is starting the adoption process... Good Luck Brian and Trish) who took my girls to McDonald's for a Happy Meal and some playtime. God bless Trish!
The doctor's appointment went something like this:
Biopsy results came back negative. YAY!
Mammogram results... eh. "A-typical results" I think, is the phrase she used.

The doctor thinks that the discrepancies in the tests may be due to the fact that the mammogram is showing the "a-typical results" in a very specific part of the "mass". She wants to get a biopsy from that particular area.

Next step... surgery.

This Wednesday, September 24 I will be going in for a Needle Localization and Extraction Biopsy.
The surgery is 2 steps. First (while I'm awake) they will go in and insert a wire guide into the specific area of the "mass" from which they want the biopsy.
The second part is when they will put me to sleep... they will go in, following the wire guide and extract a sample from the area pinpointed by the wire guide.

So, as a part of the process I had to go to the hospital today for my pre-op blood work and hospital registration.

This past week has really made me feel like a pincushion!

So there you have it. I think that's a pretty good excuse for being behind in my blogging.

I didn't post this for your pity, but I would appreciate all the prayers that you can spare over the next few days!

And if anyone has any experience with this sort of surgery, any info or suggestions you may have would be GREATLY appreciated!