Unsettling News

On Friday February 1st, I received the written dictated record of my mammogram, ultrasound, and core biopsies at Windsong Radiology.  I had my first mammogram back in February 2011 at Spectrum Radiology as a baseline when I was 35 years old. Spectrum, nor my ob/gyn called me with results of that mammogram, and since it was for a baseline and I had no problems, I didn't worry that they called. Most women know that the rule of thumb with ob/gyn's is that no news is good news. If they call you a few days after your appointment, you are in trouble. 

So when I had gone to Windsong for my lump, I told them that I had a baseline mammogram at Spectrum 2 years ago and it was normal.  When I received my written record from Windsong, I was shocked at what I read.  Dr. Small from Windsong had requested my mammogram films from Spectrum and received them 2 days after my recent mammogram. Upon inspection, she noted that I very visibly had 2 tumors in my right breast and the start of a 3rd tumor in my left breast. If you remember, my recent mammogram showed all 3 of these tumors clearly and my MRI showed a 4th tumor in my left breast. 

According to Dr. Small, the radiologist on staff at Windsong, my mammogram from 2/21/11 from
Spectrum Radiology showed a developing irregular 16mm mass and another smaller mass just behind it. As of 1/3/13 those masses are now 17mmx11mmx14mm and 5x2x5mm and are malignant.

She also notes a mass developing with "ill-defined" margin with tissue distortion in the upper inner quadrant of the left breast.  This tumor is now 9mm x 6mm x 14mm and malignant.

Let me break all this stuff down into english... I had cancer two years ago. And nobody told me.  Maybe this is why I periodically would experience painful throbbing in my chest. Who knows. I am very thankful that I switched to Windsong Radiology and I am very thankful that I switched to my new doctor, Dr. Steven Mechler (thanks JenD!).

So what do I do about this? My first instinct is to sue for malpractice. But for what? I didn't die. I still have to treat it now, just as I would have 2 years ago. My good friend/cousin Jenna who recently passed the NYS Bar exam and is well on her way to being an accomplished lawyer referred me to a friend in the legal business. This lawyer told me that unless my chances of survival are dramatically reduced because of the 2 years that passed, I don't have much of a case.  Also, there is a statute of limitations of 30 months on this type of law suit, so I would have 2 1/2 years from when 'treatment' ended, which in my case was the date of the mammogram on 2/21/11. 

So... I guess I move forward, plans unchanged, and be thankful that my chances of survival were not reduced by this little oversight. Also, I am someone gratified knowing just how fast my tumors are growing (if you follow math, you can tell they are growing pretty slowly).  But in the back of my mind, I wonder how so many people are able to sue for medical malpractice when you have to be on he brink of death before you have a case?  Not only did the radiologist not tell me what they saw or request additional tests, my ob/gyn who ordered the mammogram never told me.  Maybe the tumors weren't malignant back in 2011, but shouldn't they have checked?  My faith in the medical profession sank to new lows today.