Diagnosis Part 3 - The Dreaded Call and MRI with Contrast

I was driving to the grocery store when I received the call I was anxiously waiting for. It was Dr. H with my pathology report. After confirming my name and date of birth, she went on to tell me; "It's not the results we were hoping for. At this point you have Stage 1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma." 

I was remarkably calm and managed to turn around and head home so I could make the dreaded call to my husband, Jeff. I asked her a couple of questions and she informed me that the next step was to schedule an MRI with contrast so they could see if it had spread further than the one site they found in the mammogram and find a surgeon.  

I hung up and pulled into the garage. I called Jeff from the car in the garage. Fun fact about Jeff and Laurie, we don't call each other on the phone unless it's something really important or timely. We usually text or Skype during the day if needed. Jeff picked up the phone and from his voice, he knew what was coming.

When Jeff came home from work, we hugged and we cried and then we went into planning mode. That's what we do, always have a plan A and a plan B.

I was scheduled for the next step in the diagnosis, an MRI with Contrast on February 1st. This test is to try and see if the cancer has spread further that the spot found and to get a look at the lymph nodes to see if it had spread there too.  This test isn't 100% accurate, but is a better tool than all the previous for the whole picture. I was told over and over that until they open me up , I won't have a true final diagnosis.

The MRI with Contrast was easy compared to the rest of the prior tests. I finally had a test where I got to lay down! They give you an IV prior to the test. Next you lay down on a table that has holes so your breasts can hang down during the MRI. They do a quick run and then they release the dye in the IV for the contrast part of the test. The dye is supposed to highlight areas of concern. Results would be available in two days. I was prepared for this and had already scheduled an appointment for Friday with my surgeon.

Again we wait, but at least this wait was just 2 days. I was on my way to finding out what was in store for me on March 3rd, just two months since my routine mammogram.