Yesterday I received an official cancer diagnosis – the biopsies of my right breast and lymph node were all positive for metastatic carcinoma, grade 2 of 3, consisting of “multi- centric disease involving approximately 8.5 cm of the superior right breast and metastatic right axillary adenopathy”.

While none of my healthcare team would officially say the “C” word before yesterday, I’ve been prepared for this for the past twenty days – when the Radiologist showed me the ultrasound which had been ordered to follow-up on some areas of calcification seen in a recent mammogram, described the size and location of the masses, and acknowledged that there was also inflammation of my lypmph nodes. It took over two weeks following that ultrasound to get the biopsy scheduled, and then another four days for the official results to filter through.

Now I wait. I already have referrals approved for both surgical and chemotherapy consults. But it is Thanksgiving Week, and no one is calling to schedule.