CANCER IS JUST TOO TIME CONSUMING

Feel a lump in your breast? Go have it checked. If you don't have any money, there are programs out there to pay for it. TRUST ME ON THIS.
After all the mammograms, biopsies, etc. it was discovered that I do, in fact, have breast cancer. I thought, ok, I can deal with this. Just a speed bump in my life. Lets do some radiation, chemo and get it over with.
Imagine my surprise to find out it is not that easy to KILL cancer. Yesterday I had my first meeting with my oncologist - fancy way to say CANCER DOCTOR. Talk about information overload. Because of my family history of breast cancer (mom and sister) they are being aggressive in the treatment.
I have to have an mri of the brain. I figure they just want to double check that I still have one. Then a muga scan. Doesn't that sound like something you want to do? try saying it three times real fast - mugamugamuga. It checks your heart muscles to make sure they can handle the chemo. I don't know about you, but that scares the beejeebies out of me. How strong is this Chemo stuff and how can we use it to find Bin Laden? Then, I have to have a bone scan. I assured them that I know I have bones - in fact, I have broken several in my lifetime. They are still making me do it. And last, but I am sure really not last, I have to have a PET scan. Again, I told them I have pets - 2 cats. Can you believe they are still making me take it?
As if all this were not enough (remember I just found all this out yesterday) I have to have another operation to remove my lymph glands. At the same time they are installing a "port" for my chemo. I did not want a port - visions of tubes coming out of different places of my body flashed through my brain (see, I told you I had one). The nurse reassured me it would be under the skin. They have to do this because one of the chemos is so strong that if it leaks from my vein I would have to have plastic surgery (again, why can't it find Bin Laden). Well, I am already tired of all this surgery so I decided to go with the port.
The really funny thing is, I am very healthy (other that this cancer thing). I am never sick - seasonal allergies - so this is not something I am familiar with and really don't want to deal with. But, of course, I have no choice. No one has stepped up and volunteered to take the cancer for me and the chemo, etc. Where are all those volunteers when you need them?
I will say, my surgeon, Dr. Aaron Epstein, is an angel - as is his staff. They helped me get medicad. I have no insurance - gee, I think I am the only one in this country that does not have any right? So, if you are going through this or have to go through this and have no insurance, please, please know that there are programs out there for help. Ask your doctor.
I will keep you posted on the results of the mri on my brain - I really do hope they find one in there. Of course, if not, it really would explain a lot.
Sharon