Grae

Surgery (lumpectomy) August 5th.
Radiation in the fall.
Great chance of total cure with the surgery alone, but they always do radiation when it's a lumpectomy.
#NoFamilyDoctor
#Lumpectomy
#NLHealth
#BreastCancer

At Bayside Surgical to see Dr Hollett. (I'll have to double check that spelling later).
Beautiful view of the water.
There's a cruise ship docking today.
I'm 30 minutes early for the appointment.
Very clean and organized office.
Very pleasant staff.
#NoFamilyDoctor
#BreastCancer
#NLHealthcare

Surgery consultation appointment is Wednesday morning. Another trip to Corner Brook.
#NoFamilyDoctor
#BreastCancer
#NLHealthcare

Sent an email today to Western Health to commend the doctor in the ER that had to give me my biopsy results yesterday.
I am sure it's not something she usually has to do in the ER.
She was kind, thorough, and knowledgeable.
I appreciate her care.
#NLHealth
#CancerCareNL

Well, not what I was expecting, but cancer it is.
Caught it before it spread so the prognosis is good.
The problem with never calling people is that this is news you don't want to text, y'know?
So when I call someone they know *something* is wrong.
#NLHealthcare
#WellDamn
#BreastCancer

Not so long a wait. Just called in to the room. Waiting on the doctor.

Results are in. With no family doctor I'm waiting in the emergency department for them.
Could be a very long wait.

The weird thing is that the two women I would have confided in about this both died of cancer.
We spoke candidly about what they were going through during treatment.
No regrets being there for them, but no desire to place that emotional burden on my friends.

#Biopsy completed.
Great service from the doctor. Saw the same radiology tech as the first ultrasound.
Both of them were born and raised in Western Newfoundland and I'm so grateful they chose to stay home.
They took 5 samples and they both emphasized that this is really about being overly cautious.

Update. Intake person was mistaken. They do not do referrals to surgeons via 811.
They DO via virtual ER.
Virtual ER hours are daytime only.

Biopsy scheduled for July 2.
#NLHealthcare

2.5 hour wait at the ER to say hi to a nice doctor who already had the paperwork done by the time he got into the room.
He showed me he marked it 'urgent' and said it shouldn't take long.
Wish I had just done that right away.

Well that was a bust.
811 triage said the NP can make the referral to a surgeon for the biopsy, and the NP says 'nah, we can't"
So, now I'm just chillin' at the ER delaying someone else's treatment, so I can get a referral.
3 wasted days.
#NLHealthcare
p.s. the triage nurse has a potty mouth.

Got the callback at 7:46.
Appointment with the nurse practitioner is set for Sunday at 6.
They will send the requisition for the biopsy.
They said it will be scheduled quickly.
I just need it to not be July 5, 6, or 7 because those are the ONLY days I'm out of town all summer.
#NLHealthcare

29 hrs since I called 811.
Nurse Practitioner hasn't called yet.
Call back if you haven't heard back by the end of today, I was told yesterday.
Call back if you haven't heard in a couple hours, I was told at 10:30.
Call back tomorrow but you should hear from us soon, I was told at 5pm.
#NLHealthcare

Next step - Core Biopsy.
Fun with no family doctor.
811 will do the requisition for the appointment, I learned today.
I feel bad for those who are not comfortable with technology.
#NLHealthcare

Of course, I step away from my phone for 3 minutes, and the follow-up call came from the Breast Cancer Screening Centre.
Left a message for them.

Ultrasound #1 completed and back in the car.
Gotta say the process was quite smooth.
7-10 days before I hear back, but the first time was 4 days.

Mammogram #2 completed.
This was a real squeezer.
Waiting in ultrasound now.
Super duper fast service

Here 30 mins early.
First time at this hospital.
Staff has been quite pleasant.
It's annoying that everything to do with breast cancer is pink.
I get it, but it's annoying.
I like pink.
I'd rather not associate it with illness all the time.
I also feel that for trans men it could be icky.
🤷

Tomorrow's the big day.
Follow-up mammogram and an ultrasound.
I'm incredibly anxious about this even though I know that the odds are generally good that it's nothing.