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When I Needed a Caregiver – Part 1 The Diagnosis

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Updated: Sep 24, 2024

Jessica Mattila, MSW, LCSW


“There are only four kinds of people in the world: Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver.” – Rosalynn Carter

 


“If I were a betting man, I wouldn’t worry about it,” the radiologist told me after observing suspicious-looking calcium deposits from a mammogram I had in October 2023 that barely met the criteria for a biopsy. 


“If I were a betting man, I would say you won’t need a mastectomy,” the surgeon told me in November after a biopsy I shouldn’t worry about ending up showing positive for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). 


DCIS is a non-invasive type of breast cancer that starts in the milk ducts of the breast but hasn't spread outside of it. Although DCIS isn't life-threatening, it can become invasive if left untreated. Doctors usually recommend treating it to prevent it from developing into a more serious form of cancer.


“Even though DCIS won’t kill you, we need to treat it like an invasive cancer,” the same surgeon told me weeks later after multiple biopsies showed my breast was riddled with it. A left breast mastectomy was the recommended treatment.


In January 2024, I had a mastectomy. “At least you won’t need radiation, chemotherapy, or other post-cancer treatments, since the mastectomy treated your DCIS” my oncologist explained.


“Now that the test results have come back from your mastectomy, the invasive tumors we found indicate that a five-year chemical menopause treatment plan is the best course of action to prevent a cancer recurrence.”


When I facilitate a support group or speak with a client or a Family Consultant, the phrase “moving target,” often comes to mind.  A diagnosis of a progressive disease means that there is a journey ahead for the person diagnosed and that person’s inner circle. This was the first time in my adult life that I realized I was going to need caregivers in my inner circle to support me physically, mentally, and emotionally as I navigated my own moving target.


In the next few Currents issues, I want to share what my experience has been like being a caregiver and care receiver while recovering from my mastectomy and post-cancer treatment. It has been a humbling and awe-inspiring experience that has strengthened the appreciation I feel towards caregivers in my life and the caregivers we serve at Del Mar Caregiver Resource Center.

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