Beginnings

I’ll start by introducing myself. I’m Laura; I am a nurse with 27 years of direct patient care who seems to have found her way into the IT department of the Health Region I work for, starting out six years ago leading a training team for an application and ending up in a Business Analyst role for almost two years now.

I have a strong family history on my father’s side of colon cancer, my father himself died of colon cancer at the age of 53. On my mother’s side I have two cousins that I’m aware of who have had breast cancer, one died in her early forties and the other had sentinel node biopsy surgery. My mother had cancer found in an ovary following a hysterectomy when she was in her 60’s.

I myself have had colon polyps removed in my early thirties and have fibrocystic breast disease with two fibro adenomas being removed via bilateral lumpectomies in October 2009. Last April I had my first upper GI endoscopy and was told that I had a Barrett’s esophagus, several biopsies were taken at that time and I was placed on Pantoloc and brought back 6 weeks later for more biopsies. I was told I would need to be watched closely to ensure that the Barrett’s did not progress to esophageal cancer. This doctor told me that genetically I picked the wrong parents.

Which brings me to today; I recently discovered a new lump on my right breast in the 9 o’clock area. I wasn’t too concerned and thought that I would wait until my annual physical in July to have it checked out. Today, though, I had a strong feeling that I should call the Breast Health Clinic that my breast surgeon works out of and request an appointment to have him check it out. I called and was given an appointment for June 6^th at 2 p.m.