Paula's Double Mastectomy Journey

I went for my annual mammogram in the spring of 2016, like I always did, but this time I had to wait a bit longer than usual. The nurse came back in and said we have to retake a picture. I waited again, they told me they see a spot and recommended a biopsy. That Friday I had a biopsy and then I had to wait for the results, over Mother's Day weekend,  That Monday I received a call to tell me they found DCIS cells, which could become cancer so my doctor recommended a surgeon to perform a Lumpectomy.  In June 2016 I had the lumpectomy to remove the spot of cells, again I had to wait until they tested the cells, two different labs, to diagnos me as Stage 0,  Praise God! I had to come back in six moths for a check up and mammogram.
During that time in October 2016 my husband starting having pain in his right and was having trouble walking, He had two back surgeries about ten years ago, so he just knew it was a disc in his back. He saw his previous surgeon and they tried some other methods nothing was working, Every day I had to help him get dressed and finally one morning he could not get up from a chair and I had to take him to the emergency room, They tried to give him a steroid injection which failed miserably,  He then had surgery, he was out of work from the week of Thanksgiving through January 2017, During this time, through the holidays my husband was still in so much pain during recovery he had to take medication every day which put alot of stress on me and our 13 year old son Mason,  Mason was and is amazing in helping his Dad and myself through all, never complaining, Our 17 year old daughter's away at a boarding school, however helped out tremdously over winter break, I was afraid they would not let her come back after winter break because we were behind in payments to school, my MIL Kathy came forward to help with what she could to start second semester in January, At this time now my husband is back to work, however struggling.
January 31st I go back for my six month check up, I knew somthing was wrong, I had to wait too long again,  They came to tell me they found two spots, in different locations than the first last year,  That Friday I had two biopsies on my right breast and again I waited over the weekend (so much waiting!)  Monday after a long day at work and waiting for that phone call, my surgeon calls me to say they are also DCIS Ductal Carcinoma in Sintra, and she recommended a mastectomy of the right breast,  What!!?  I was in shock, I called my husband and he could barely speak to me he was so overcome with emotion,  I did cry at first, however I was very calm about it later in the evening when my daughter called me and I explained what had to happen, I told her it is just a boob and I am so happy I do not have to endure chemotherapy or radiation!  I had to then go for an MRI so that the surgeon could reinforce her recommendation,  The MRI experience was so strange, you lay face down on something like a massage table and each breast has it's own little cubbie!  My surgeon called me and told me she did in fact still recommend the mastectomy, however there was nothing on the MRI on the left breast,  She gave me the facts of why or why not to decide to have a double mastectomy, but that was my decison to make. After much discussion with my husband, others that have gone through similiar situations and some that know others that did, I made the decision to have a bi lateral mastectomy with reconstruction. My surgery date is Tuesday, March 28th so 3 weeks no work, All this time my husband has still been struggling with pain and we had to borrow money again from my MIL Kathy God Bless her! It looks like the same disc he had surgery on in November has herniated again or it is scar tissue and it sounds like he has to have another back surgery! The financial concerns has consumed my husband, we have had many heated discussions. Our 25th Anniversary is in November this year!  When Alex was home for Spring Break she recommended that I set up Go Fund Me : ) Alex will be 18 soon and she graduates from high school in May and has been accepted to UW Waukesha this fall! Mason graduates from 8th grade and has confirmation too!  I am not sure what we will do, I am trying to take it one day at a time,  Many have said to me "what can I do to help your family?"
A friend suggested making a paper mache of my chest, before surgery - planning this for tomorrow!
 I will continue my story after my surgery, thank you for reading! : )