Still undecided on what the game plan for treatment is

My childhood friend Ellen who now lives in California called me and talked about her breast cancer experience. She is a 17 year survivor, thank goodness, although she had a recurrence requiring mastectomy and lymph node dissection 3 years after her first treatment. But, she pointed out that there is a relationship between pancreatic cancer and breast cancer associated with the BRCA2 gene and that I might want to think about being tested. These breast cancer genes (BRCA1 and 2) are more common in Ashkenazi Jews (I am one) and my brother died of a relative to pancreatic cancer as did her Dad. She tested long after both of her family diagnoses and she is postive. So, I am planning to be tested, too, as I would opt for bilateral mastectomies if I am positive. It takes about 4 weeks to get the results from the testing so my game plan is delayed but I think for a good reason! Thanks for all of your good wishes.

I joined a new club on Friday

After going through lots of uncertainty and tests since I found out that there was an abnormality on my mammogram on the night of February 5th, I found out on Friday that, unfortunately and fortunately, my diagnosis was not benign. The odds were that it would be benign so I tried to remain upbeat but somehow, deep down, I knew that this was malignant. But, on the bright and fortunate side of things, I am a walking poster child for yearly mammograms as this lesion was not palpable and found only on my routine mammogram. So, although I have now joined the Breast Cancer Survivor club, I have joined on the most favorable terms possible, and my prognosis is essentially for 100% survival with treatment. The treatment plan is not certain yet as the path report is not final yet and I have not yet had my breat MRI but I will do whatever is neccessary and will beat this beast! I plan to run in the Race for the Cure here in Central MS on April 5th and then to do the breast cancer 3 day walk in Atlanta in October with my friend Donna who also is a member of the club and has finished her treatment already!