Opinion | Breast cancer blog: The waiting game as I receive my pathology report

There must be a slant of sun amidst the storm, I’d like to think. The breast surgeon holding the final pathology report smiled, but she always smiles. It’s reassuring but hard to read. The aunt and I sat there on the edge of our seats, fidgety, leaning forward, no longer truly able to maintain a sense of calm. I’ve been fretting about this pathology report for the past two weeks.

This report – a detailed look at the tumour and lymph nodes (the channel between the cancer cells and the rest of the body) - determines the fate of my treatment and future. The mind spins with questions: What stage cancer? What kind of treatment? God forbid if chemo is involved. I try hard to steer my thoughts away from the dark side, but it’s tough. My nervous chatter breaks the silence of the packed waiting room.

“We’ve been here for about forever now, can’t we just get this report and get it over with?” I said.

Turns out that finding the lump and removing it was only the very beginning of what will be a long journey.

Friends have been somewhat surprised by this. “You mean it doesn’t end with the surgery? I thought they got all of it,” a good friend said shaking her head.