Breast Surgeon

 February 27, 2025

This was the appointment I had been dreading for several weeks now. This is the appointment which would determine the course of my treatment. I'd read a lot on my own, trying to figure out if a lumpectomy or a mastectomy would be the right way to go to get rid of the cancer. Lumpectomy would involve removing the tumor in my breast. Mastectomy would involve removing all of the breast. 

We met with Dr Jennifer Tittensor, oncology surgeon who came highly recommended by everyone I spoke to who has had anything to do with breast cancer. Everyone raves about her and told me she is the best and she is the one you want to see. Jim was with me at this appointment. We met with her and I felt comfortable and confident that she would know the right thing to do. My own personal feelings and the fact that my cancer had been very hard to detect led me to suggest that we do a mastectomy, and not just one side but both. We were concerned whether insurance would cover that, and the reconstruction that I would surely want afterwards and Dr Tittensor assured me that because I am under 50, insurance would definitely cover a double mastectomy and all reconstructive procedures afterward. That was reassuring, though not something I was looking forward to doing. She performed a brief ultrasound in her office in which she affirmed as everyone else had that it was surprising that this was caught as the nature of invasive lobular carcinoma is that the tumors grow linear, not as distinct lumps.

We talked a little bit about the surgery and she recommended I meet with a plastic surgeon to discuss the reconstruction. Dr Mark Jensen is one who she recommended, their offices are next door to each other And they refer a lot of patients back and forth. If she was confident with him, I would trust her judgment. She then went to check her schedule and one of the many tender mercies in this process happened at that moment. Jim and I had been discussing before this appointment what days would work best if I needed surgery. March 12th was the one day I felt would be best for me to take time to have this done, and the easiest time for Jim to take some time off work. I'm heavily involved in wedding planning with Aspen right now, and that date would allow me several weeks to recuperate before major wedding things like bridal showers, engagement photos and such. Dr Tittensor came back into the room and said my surgery would be scheduled on March 12th. A few tears of relief may have been shed at that moment silently by me. 

I know that God is aware of me through this process. I don't know why this cancer had to be caught right now at this exact moment in time, when I'm heavily needed at home to be a Mom. To be involved with my children, and my husband, and to be able to take care of them and be there for them in these monumental life events that are happening. Life is challenging enough taking care of a special needs child who is very dependent on me for everything. Cancer never chooses the most opportune moments to show itself. I'm very grateful that it hasn't gone farther, at this point things seem to have been caught early and it looks as if The Cancer has not spread to my lymph nodes or anywhere else. Praying with all my heart that this continues to be the case!!

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