So, how were you told?

Recently I came across an article in the Los Angeles Times entitled … How doctors deliver the news: It's Cancer. That inspired me to share my experience with you all on how I was told.

As I waited for the results of my first biopsy, I’ll be honest; I didn’t really think I had cancer. I thought it would turn out to be a cyst or something like that. Boy was I wrong.

I was in the bedroom; I remember the phone ringing and hearing my family doctor’s voice at the other end. I knew right away this was serious because I’ve never had a doctor call me at home. I think she said something like … “There is no easy way to say this … you have breast cancer.” I started shaking. I think she also asked something like, Are you ok? … and I replied yes. As she spoke I tried hard to remember the details of the conversation but honestly, I could only remember that someone was going to call me later with more details. I remember breaking down after hanging up the phone.

With my first reoccurrence, I was mentally more prepared and ready to receive the news. Once again a phone call came. I don’t remember much about it.

With my second reoccurrence, the one I’m dealing with now, I was at work. I remember checking my phone message and listening to my doctor’s voice. She asked me to call her back immediately. When I called her back, I was ready to hear that the cancer had come back but there was nothing preparing me for when she said the cancer had spread to my liver, lungs and bones. I am now metastatic.

Once again, she asked if I was ok and especially if I was ok to drive home. I said my office was only minutes away from home and I would be fine.