Trip to the biopsy doctor

I had an appointment with the doctor who did the biopsy this morning. My husband John went with me. I already knew that the results were positive; my general practitioner had called me last Friday with the news. I'm glad she did; it would have been too suspenseful waiting until this morning. The visit was very simple; he looked at my "wounds" where the needles had gone in. He seemed a little surprised at how well they had healed. Maybe they healed fast because of a product called "Olive-Gold" that I had been applying to them since yesterday. It is supposed to provide oxygen to your tissues, and heals skin problems very fast.

Then I asked what kind of cancer I had, and he very briefly showed me the pathologist report which gave it a name. I asked what that name meant, (I'm bad with names--don't remember what it was) and he said something like it was just a name for breast cancer. Duh! I knew that! I asked if I could have a copy of the report, but they said they didn't make copies for patients (even though I had paid for it!). I would have to ask my GP for a copy.

I then brought up the charges for three biopsies instead of the two I had requested. I had thought they would biopsy the main lump on my beast, and the lump on my lymph node. I had mentioned my concern about a small "bump" on the side of the larger lump, and asked if he could test that. He apparently misunderstood, and thought I wanted it tested in addition to the main lump. I was really asking if he could biopsy the main lump and the small bump from the same incision point. It wouldn't be a big deal, except that each biopsy incision cost $745. EACH incision cost $745! It didn't matter that it only took an additional couple of minutes, and that I was already there, prepped, etc. I had to pay $745 for each incision!!! During the procedure I was in deep meditation, and was really not that aware of the fact he was doing three until he started on the third one. Anyway, I'm going to write a letter of protest to the Breast Center at the hospital and complain. Maybe I'll get some money back.

Those of us without insurance must be very diligent about what is being done to us. Since most people have insurance that pays for it, the doctors don't really think about how much each little procedure might be costing. They just go ahead and do stuff without checking it out first with the patient.

The doctor also suggested I contact a breast surgeon as soon as possible. When I told him I didn't want to pursue surgery, he seemed very worried (as I knew he would be). Part of me agrees with him--I have a growth in my body that doesn't belong there--I should just cut it out! However, the reasons I want to help my body get rid of this growth without surgery are these:
1. Surgery is hard on the body. I think anytime you make an opening in the body, you can invite in pathogens and negative energies that can weaken your health. Sometimes surgery is necessary--to set a broken bone, to repair damage already done, etc. I'm sure most doctors feel cancer surgery falls in this category--a necessary surgery. However, I've heard about and read about many people who successfully cured their cancers and made even huge tumors go away without surgery.

2. I think any disturbance of a cancer tumor (including the needle biopsy) can release cancer cells into the blood stream where they have access to other areas where they can start growing. I guess that is the reason they do surgery AND chemotherapy and radiation--to kill any renegade cancer cells released by the knife.

I have already decided that surgery will be my LAST resort, not the first choice. If, after doing all the things I'm considering, the tumor has not disappeared, I will have it cut out.

So, that leaves me with needing to formulate a definite plan. My step sister called me today, and urged me to get an oncologist who can tell me exactly what kind of cancer I have, and can give me a more accurate prognosis. That is a good idea. Tomorrow I will call my GP and also another doctor friend who is very open to alternative medicine and see if there are any oncologists they would recommend in Joplin.