At age 24 I had the life I always wanted.  I was a wife to a wonderful man and a mother of two amazing boys, ages 2 and 4.   While my husband was at work during the day I took care of our children.  When my husband came home from his machinist job he took care of our children so that I could go to my job in the evening working as a cashier at a local supermarket.    My days were always filled.   My one son was on a little league team.  My husband and I would take turns attending the games.   I always took the kids to the doctors when needed for checkups or sick visits.  I was in perfect health and going to the doctors was something I rarely did.  I was young and energetic and loved my life being a mother and wife.

One day I found a swollen gland in my throat.  I had no symptoms with the pea size ball I could feel on my neck.  I just assumed I was getting a cold and I would take some over the counter medicine.  I continued my daily routine as a mother, housewife and employee.  A month had gone by and I noticed that the lump in my neck had gotten bigger.  Then I found a lump in my breast.  I was more concerned about the lump in my breast.  I then made a doctor’s appointment with my family physician.

I saw my doctor and expressed my concerns of the lump I felt on my breast.  She said the lump on my breast was a cyst and assured me it would go away.  I asked her to check out my neck which had a lump as well.  She seemed very concerned about the lump on my neck and even called another doctor into the room to take a look at it.  My doctor said she was sending me for an x-ray and that I should make a follow up appointment to go over the results.  The very next day I went for an x-ray.   With having to get an x-ray I still didn’t think anything serious was going on.  When I went back in to see the doctor she told me the x-ray looked suspicious and she would refer me to a surgeon.  She said a biopsy of the tissue in the lump was needed.  The nurse in the office scheduled the appointment with the surgeon for me.  I still didn’t think anything was going on.  I had no pain nor did I feel or get sick.  I went on about my life as usual. 

The day I met with the surgeon he examined me and went over my x-ray.  He explained the procedure for the biopsy.  The surgery was to take place at the hospital as an outpatient procedure.  I would have a local anesthetic to numb the spot where the lump is.  He then said he would cut along the lump to expose the tissue and take a few samples.  I was very nervous about being cut opened and asked him if I could be put to sleep.  He said I would be given enough numbing medicine that I would not feel a thing.  The surgery was schedule very early in the morning at the hospital.  After I registered, a nurse took me back to a room so that I could change into a gown and they could start an iv.   The procedure turned out to be painless and the only thing I felt was the needle that went into my neck to numb it.  When the doctor asked me if I was ok I told him I could feel some pulling and tugging.  He said that this was normal and everything was going well.  I went home and I was still not concerned with this lump.   I just wanted to get back to taking care of my family.  It was not until a few days after on a Sunday evening that I started to feel worry.  I had received a call from my doctor who wanted to see me in her office the next day.  She asked me if I would be bringing anyone with me.  I told her I was coming alone but she insisted I bring someone with me.   All of a sudden I was in total confusion.  “I asked my husband”, “why she is insisting I bring someone with me.”   He said it’s probably nothing but I will go with you.