My phone’s recent calls list Cancer Center, the Cancer Coordinator, the Surgeon’s Office, my primary care doc, and even the Genetics Department. It’s been quite a  roller coaster ride.

Two weeks ago, I had my annual mammogram. I get one annually rather than every two years because of my family history. This mammogram showed a new growth on the right.

One week ago, I had a biopsy of the right breast.

By the list of calls, you can infer that the biopsy showed the new growth is, indeed, cancerous. Invasive ductile carcinoma, to be specific. Go ahead and do an Internet search on it. I’m not planning on it. That’s a bit too much at this point in the game.

Timing is either great or awful – not that I had a choice in the matter. December is a big month for the barbershop chorus. They have three shows: the Barbershop Bistro dinner, the main Christmas show, and a show at a local senior living home. I have no idea how my surgeries and appointments will interfere with getting Amigo to his shows and seeing the shows myself. That’s the bad side.

On the good side, it’s not prime canning and preserving season. I have a pantry and freezer full of foodstuffs for the family. If money gets tight during treatment, grocery shopping won’t be too much worse than usual.

Also on the positive side, I’m one of Those People: I shop early for holiday gifts. With a number of birthdays in November, December, and January, I plan ahead. I could stop shopping right now and everyone would have gifts. Nothing is wrapped, but I can cope with that. I don’t buy wrapping paper; haven’t in years, but that’s another post altogether.

At this point, I’m impatient and nervous. I meet with the surgeon on Monday to make a plan for treatment. Readers, I’ll keep you up to date as to what’s happening and how I’m feeling about it. Cancer, basically, sucks.