Confirmed: Breast Cancer

No one is ever prepared to hear the big-C word - especially from someone they love. If you are, then you don't have a heart and are numb inside. 

In this case it was the last thing I expected to hear. Why? Because Dani had been to her family doctor and everything was "fine."

 

Pre-Diagnosis

Garrett Daniel Thuot was born on February 7, 2011 at 6:45 pm (side note - I get a text from Dani around noon that day wondering what I was doing...the only position she was comfortable in was sitting in the truck and she was just about at my  house. 'Cause doesn't every woman who is in labour go for a drive to hang out with their girlfriend?!  Contraction?!?  WTH do I do?!?). He was, and continues to be, a spitting image of his older brother Anderson. Dani breastfed him for six months or so. 

After she stopped, she noticed the disconfiguration in her right breast. She pursued this with her family doctors inquiring about her "lumpy boob". Her doctor told her she had nothing to worry about - it was just a blocked milk duct. She wasn't experiencing the normal symptoms of blocked milk ducts and the lump got worse. So she went back. Dani had even questioned whether a mammogram might be worthwhile to which she received a less than cold response. "I told you already, it's just a blocked milk duct."

A second opinion by a different doctor and the same thing. In January of 2012 she was having so much chest pain she thought she was having a heart attack so rushed to the Emergency Room. There they did an ECG, determined she wasn't having a heart attach, prescribed some anti-inflamatories and sent her home. Medical negligence at it's finest.
 

Diagnosis

Dani had been spending Wednesdays with her mom. On that third Wednesday in March her and her mom drove to an Appletree Medical Clinic where she met Dr. Scott, who in my opinion, saved her life. 

Earlier that week Dani's nipple concaved. She knew that something was now seriously wrong. When she opened her gown, the first words out of Dr. Scott's mouth were, "has anyone talked to you about breast cancer?"

She then did a physical exam, embraced Dani and said, "honey, I'm sorry to tell you but this is not good."

Just like that. The Big C was looming.

Dr. Scott immediately sent Danielle to the Queensway Carleton Hospital where they did an emergency mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy. She met with an oncologist who said they would have the results soon.

Two days later they called Dani to confirm that it was true. Breast cancer.