Your Daily Dose of Deidre

If you know her, you adore and love her.

If you don't know her, stick around and you'll soon want to!

                

 I am her "sister" and long-time bestie, Melane.

This is me.

(the 4-leaf clover on my cheek is
completely random & irrelevant)

Deidre has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. 

I am creating this blog for many reasons...to help Deidre's loved ones keep updated on this new journey and to prevent her from having to retell the same info over & over...to help organize her thoughts... and to help her stay connected with you...

Deidre and I will both be updating this blog. (she is a better story-teller than I am) Our goal is for one of us to write daily. Hence the name, "Your Daily Dose of Deidre"! 

What can YOU do? Oh, I'm so glad you asked! 
Pray for Deidre. Pray for healing, comfort, peace, and her continued sense of humor. Pray for her doctors. Pray for her living and financial situation. Praying is so easy and so effective! I have an idea...Come back to "Your Daily Dose of Deidre" everyday and pray for Dee after each visit to her blog! 

Those of you lucky ones that live near Deidre (I do miss me some San Diego! Remind me why I moved away? sorry~A.D.D. kickin' in)  You awesome Southern Cali folk can offer to go shopping for Deidre or cook her a meal, accompany her to appointments, deliver her cheerful treats...or come up with your own way to help our Dee.

We can also all help Deidre in her pocketbook. There is gonna come a time when she is unable to work and bring home the bacon. (mmm...bacon) If you are able to support Deidre financially, click on this link below (ANY amount is appreciated)!

To bring everyone up to speed, the following is Deidre's timeline of her diagnosis up to this point (in her own words):

March 17, 2014 - Felt a lump in my right breast. Confident that it's just a cyst. Made an appointment. 

March 24, 2014 - Examination by nurse practitioner. Referred to a radiologist. Waited for MediCal to approve referral. Referral approved. The medical professional was notified. Waited for medical professional to call me to make appointment. Appointment made. Waiting.

April 4, 2014 - Mammogram and ultrasound findings: 2 x 2.5 mass "highly suggestive of malignancy" LOOKS LIKE CANCEROUS TUMOR. Referred to pathologist. Waited for MediCal to approve referral. Referral approved. The medical professional was notified. Waited for medical professional to call me to make appointment. Appointment made. Waiting.

April 18, 2014 - Biopsy of mass. Waiting for results.

April 24, 2014 - Appointment with nurse practitioner - Biopsy results revealed "High-grade comedo ductal in situ (high-grade DCIS)," STAGE 0, grade 3 cancerous tumor. It's non-invasive, but aggressive and fast growing. Referred to surgical oncologist. Waited for MediCal to approve referral. Referral approved. The medical professional was notified. Waited for medical professional to call me to make appointment. Appointment made. Waiting. 

May 5, 2014 - Consultation with surgical oncologist. I'm expecting to get information about a lumpectomy, lymph node biopsy, and possible radiation therapy. WRONG. The tumor is non-invasive, but according to the mammography report one month earlier, the rest of the breast tissue show signs of extensive DCIS, therefore a unilateral mastectomy is in order. I'm also a candidate for immediate breast reconstruction. Once the mastectomy and lymph nodes are biopsied, the pathologist can determine if the cancer has metastasized. That outcome will determine my treatment options. I asked for a second opinion. My concerns are presented to the "Tumor Board" or multidisciplinary opinion.

May 12, 2014 - Tumor Board meets. 

May 14, 2014 - Appointment to review second opinion. Surgical oncologist in surgeries all day. Appointment canceled. Also told that the UCSD plastic surgeons are the only surgeons accepting my medical insurance. My surgical oncologist is from Scripps so, my reconstructive surgery would NOT be immediate. I would have to wait until I healed from the mastectomy before being cut open again for the next surgery. I CRIED. Called my insurance rep to request a surgical oncologist and plastic surgeon from UCSD. Called UCSD medical center to request a medical number as a new patient. Called my insurance rep back with info. Insurance rep found a surgical oncologist who accepts my insurance. If... no... WHEN my medical case is picked up by UCSD, I will have to start the process all over again starting with the surgical oncologist consultation. Waiting for MediCal to approve referral. Waiting for the medical professional to be notified. Waiting for medical professional to call me to make appointment. Waiting.  

May 15, 2014 _ Get a call about the Tumor Board opinion. YES, to a unilateral mastectomy. Strongly encouraged to be tested for BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes. The outcome may determine if a bilateral mastectomy would be best. I need a referral for that. Then the referral will need to be approved. Then a medical professional will need to call me to make an appointment. Then I'll need to wait for days or weeks for the results, which I will probably have to make an appointment just to hear the results.  

Okay, well there you have it!

Please come back tomorrow for

Your Daily Dose of Deidre!

(don't forget it is time for you to pray for Deidre now)

Thank you! :)