Diagnosis
I am 65 years old, and had my normal breast screen on January 6th. When the results letter arrived on January 20th, I didn't even look at it for two hours, assuming it was the usual 'see you in two years' letter. Instead it was the call-back letter with the usual reassurances about most women called back not having cancer. One week later I was going through all of those hours of tests with the news at the end that I definitely had cancer of the right breast, and would need an operation to remove a sizeable portion of my breast. I couldn't believe it and felt like crying, but managed not to break down. I have top private health cover because of other illnesses, and was very thankful that it meant that things could move fast.
I rang a friend who also had breast cancer and was told that her breast surgeon, Suzanne Moore at Epworth Eastern was 'absolutely lovely', and so she has proved to be. One week later I had my official pathology results from the biopsies taken at the breast screen, and was sitting in front of Suzanne having the date of my operation set. One week after that, I was being wheeled into theatre to have a large piece (180 mg) taken from my breast and the sentinel node and three more nodes removed. After a night in hospital, I went home to a week of a great deal of pain. One week after that I saw Suzanne and found out that while the lymph nodes were clear (hurrah!), the margins were not clear on one side, and a further operation was required. She also said that it was not two small tumours as indicated on the X-ray, but a seven and a half inch long underlying one with the visible tumours rather like islands sticking up out of the sea.
The next morning I was again wheeled into theatre, and a further nearly two centimetre slice was removed, bringing the total weight removed to 282 mg. More pain and recovery followed. One week after this operation I was in her office to receive the bad news that the margins were still not clear and that I have to have a mastectomy which is scheduled for March 22nd.
I have seen a plastic surgeon and in the four hour operation I am having a reconstruction with a breast implant and a reduction of the right breast, as I am big-breasted. I wanted the tram-flap implant, but he is unwilling to undertake that six to seven hour operation because I have heart failure. My pathology showed my cancer to be hormone receptive, but after the third test after two inconclusive ones, I came out as non-HER2 receptive, so thank God I don't have to have chemotherapy, although radiation is still a possibility.
The only good things to come out of this horrible situation is that I have found a strength in me that I did not know that I possessed, and I have come to truly appreciate the wonderful blessings that my family and friends are as they give me unquestioning support and love.
