Once again, from the other side

It's been almost 5 years since my breast cancer diagnosis 

and everything seemed to be working out just fine.  

That is, until about a month ago...

when mom was diagnosed.

She found a lump in her breast and went to get it checked out.

I didn't even worry.  

After my diagnosis I had done the genetic testing and the tests came up negative.

There are two markers that they know of linking genetic breast cancer and I came up negative for both.

Last summer, in August, on two consecutive days, my cousin (on my mom's side) and my aunt (on my dad's side) were both diagnosed with breast cancer.  

They've both been through various surgeries and treatments and are doing well.

It seemed crazy but then again... it seems that people are getting diagnosed right and left these days.

So when my mom said she was going in for a mammogram, and an ultrasound, and a biopsy I didn't worry much about it.  I thought about the what if's but I didn't really take them seriously.

When I had cancer the experience was oddly positive.  I know it sounds crazy but I didn't spend time stressing about the what ifs and I didn't cry over the why's.

The moment I found out mom had cancer I felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach.

I obsessed over it all day.  I thought about it constantly.  I'm still thinking about it.

It's so much worse being on this side of things.

I'm not really worried, I know she'll be fine... although between you and me (and all of the internet) she is such a horrible patient.  She's cranky when she can't do things and she doesn't follow the rules.  Getting her to relax and recover should be interesting. 

She's doing fine now, there have been amazing leaps in technology and knowledge in the five years since I went through this process.  I'm beginning to think it's quite unfair and I'll share more info about all that later.

When asked how she's handling all of this she'd tell you that "Anything Dawn can do I can do better!"

We shall see mom, we shall see.

Mom goes in for a lumpectomy and sentinel lymph node removal Wednesday morning.

Keep your fingers crossed and say some prayers for a good pathology report and a fast recovery!