Veronica Van Rooyen
Now, we all know that fluorescent lighting is not the most flattering light as it reveals every little imperfection on one’s skin. Perhaps I should be thankful that this was the type of lighting I was under as I changed in front of a large mirror in the bathroom of my hotel room on my vacation last winter. Suddenly, my eyes fell on an ominous shadow on my left breast. The fluorescent lighting wasn’t merely unbecoming, but downright horrifying. What is the definition of a ‘kill-joy’? Well, how about finding a tiny lump under that shadowy-dimpling on one’s breast while on vacation out of the country. Terror.
I called my G.P. from my trip to set up an appointment as soon as I arrived home. The remainder of the vacation, I vacillated between the gnawing feeling that life as I knew it was about to change…and intense panic. I had lost my friend, Andrea, to breast cancer at the young age of 43, only four years earlier. The awful memory became all too vivid.
I saw my G.P. on the morning after I returned. She had a hard time finding the lump. It was tricky. She told me it was probably nothing but because I was so nervous about it, she put an “URGENT” on the requisition. Well, “URGENT” clearly has different meanings to different people. The mammogram and ultrasound would not be completed for about four weeks. I left the doctor’s office feeling completely helpless. Didn’t they, the powers that schedule these diagnostic tests, realize that the suspense was intolerable? I have always believed that if there is something unappealing that has to be done, it best be done quickly. I know patience is a virtue but in a situation like this one, patience seemed a cruel joke. Yes, be patient while we wait weeks to see if there is, in fact, a ticking time bomb in your chest that needs to be defused.
I arrived home from the doctor and the nurse from the Rapid Diagnostic Centre returned my call almost immediately. It seemed too good to be true! The nurse was not going to let me suffer the fate of waiting and she booked me into the clinic only two days later. I have never met this nurse, but inside, I have thanked her so many times.
I had my answer far quicker than if I had waited and gone the traditional route. The answer was, indeed…cancer. So yes, I had to have the bomb defused with a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. I had the PMH bomb squad get to work on me weeks ahead of when it would have happened. For me, that was a great gift because it meant that I could get back to my life sooner. I guess Dr. McCready knew that if he built it, they would come. So many women like me have come. Even more, Emmanuelle Gattuso has come…and we are all thankful for that.
