September and October were really busy at house. See... in August someone came in our yard and stole the lawnmower. I didn't really think anything about it being missing because mom borrowed it constantly, so when she called two days later and asked to come pick it up, I was startled. Two days later, the leaf blower was gone. Now, let me explain something. We have dogs. Big dogs. We had, at that time, a Shepard mix, a Chow mix and an American Stafford-shire Terrier ( often confused with a Pitt Bull). So, someone came in the yard past three huge dogs and stole lawn equipment on two separate days. Of course I called the police and the insurance company.
The insurance company sent out an adjuster. Three days later, we get a notice that our policy was being canceled because we own restricted breeds. We never knew that our 10yr old Shepard, the 11yr old Chow and the 4yr old AmStaff were restricted. Immediately we start insurance shopping. The only companies out there that will insure you with "restricted" breeds are State Farm and some company that doesn't operate in our state. State Farm offered to insure us, but only if we did some massive renovations on the house. So we started calling window companies and subcontractors. Meanwhile, I began tearing up our 12 yr old Jasmine that was growing up the walls, and pulling the vines off our outbuilding. Lucky me... in the vines happened to be a great deal of poison ivy and I was covered in a rash.
September started with tearing up the exterior of the house. We replaced facia boards, replaced all the windows in the house, replaced exterior shingles, built new supports for the porch. We had exterminators out to treat for termites. The house was repainted. The window frames were replaced. The stove broke and it was replaced. The fridge broke and it was repaired. I battled the poison ivy and had rash after rash.
Finally I had to visit the doctor because the rash just would not go away.The doctor assured me it was not poison ivy. It was Mastitis and she gave me antibiotics.
Since I had just turned 40, she also sent me for my first mammogram. I have no history of breast cancer. We have had two grandmothers die of other forms of cancer, but there have been no other cases. Also, I am large breasted and I frequently have fibrous lumps form and go away. So I went for the exam. The next day, they call back. I have some abnormalities, so we need a biopsy. It's probably nothing is what the nurse tells me. Did I mention that it is now October, which just happens to be Breast Cancer month? I go in for my biopsy. On October 12 I got the call to come for my results. It's breast cancer. Not just any breast cancer... it's Inflammatory Breast Cancer.
I have never heard of this cancer at this point. How does a person go from poison ivy rash to mastitis to breast cancer? I thought breast cancer was a lump in your breast and I do my self checks regularly. This is insane! I don't even feel sick, so how on earth can I have cancer???
Michele of course looks up IBC on the internet. It's rare. It's fast moving. It's average life expectancy is 5 years. What??? 5 years? That can't be right.... I'm supposed to be that crazy old cat lady and I am destined to not even make it to age 50?
September started with tearing up the exterior of the house. We replaced facia boards, replaced all the windows in the house, replaced exterior shingles, built new supports for the porch. We had exterminators out to treat for termites. The house was repainted. The window frames were replaced. The stove broke and it was replaced. The fridge broke and it was repaired. I battled the poison ivy and had rash after rash.
Finally I had to visit the doctor because the rash just would not go away.The doctor assured me it was not poison ivy. It was Mastitis and she gave me antibiotics.
Since I had just turned 40, she also sent me for my first mammogram. I have no history of breast cancer. We have had two grandmothers die of other forms of cancer, but there have been no other cases. Also, I am large breasted and I frequently have fibrous lumps form and go away. So I went for the exam. The next day, they call back. I have some abnormalities, so we need a biopsy. It's probably nothing is what the nurse tells me. Did I mention that it is now October, which just happens to be Breast Cancer month? I go in for my biopsy. On October 12 I got the call to come for my results. It's breast cancer. Not just any breast cancer... it's Inflammatory Breast Cancer.
I have never heard of this cancer at this point. How does a person go from poison ivy rash to mastitis to breast cancer? I thought breast cancer was a lump in your breast and I do my self checks regularly. This is insane! I don't even feel sick, so how on earth can I have cancer???
Michele of course looks up IBC on the internet. It's rare. It's fast moving. It's average life expectancy is 5 years. What??? 5 years? That can't be right.... I'm supposed to be that crazy old cat lady and I am destined to not even make it to age 50?
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