January of 2006 brought my annual mammogram.  For the first time since my diagnosis in 2003, I wasn't really nervous.  I just drove myself to the hospital and did the usual routine.  I undressed and sat in the waiting room waiting for my turn to get "mashed" in the machine. 

My turn was up and in I went.  Same old routine.  Tell my story and make sure they take extra pictures on the affected side.  Blah, blah, blah.  "Have a seat in the waiting rooms while we check to see if we have enough pictures".  This is still all routine to me at this point.

Then the technician asked me to come back in saying that they needed to take another picture.  I am still not that worried since this has happened before.  Except this time, she is asking for more pictures on my healthy side.  More mashing and then more waiting in the waiting room. 

I know that something is really wrong when the ultrasound technician comes and takes me down the hall.  I am blown away and wishing I had brought my husband or mother with me.  There on the screen is a small lump.  Another beast! 

They ask me to get dressed and come in to the radiologist's office.  She shows me all of the pictures and explains that there are areas of concern in both breasts now.  There are calcifications on the previously affected side which will require a biopsy and a lump on the healthy side which will require a biopsy.

One week later, I am diagnosed with IDC in the Left Breast.  All is well on the right side.  Once again, I am blown away.  How did this happen?  Wasn't that chemotherapy enough for a lifetime?  How does this happen to someone so young?  NED was gone... 

We take in the news and start to plan our attack.  Of course I just wanted another Lumpectomy.  Why on earth would anyone want to hack off both breasts?  The thought of that was unfathomable to me!  I was absolutely not hearing it.  I put a stop to that conversation right away.  I met my new breast surgeon and planned the Lumpectomy with sentinel node biopsy.  The surgery went without complications and all negative nodes again!  Good news.  I was also told that since the tumor was so small and Estrogen Receptor Positive, I will not need chemo.  I am now eligible to take Tamoxifen to prevent future breast cancers.  This is encouraging to me.

Is this the end of the line?  Is this all I do?  How do I make sure this doesn't happen again?  I am only 30 for crying out loud.  We move to the next step of genetics...