Devastated and confused

I was diagnosed with a small, (1cm) early invasive, grade 1, hormone receptor positive breast cancer in April. 

My journey, so far, through public health has been smooth, with lovely health care professionals ...everyone has been wonderful. Fortunately I only had 8 days from biopsy results to consultation with surgeon, but I went down every rabbit hole during that time. I was glad that I had good questions to ask, but since then I have pretty much relaxed into waiting to be told what is next.

My surgery was good, clear lymph nodes, clear margins and patholgy confirmed the initial biopsy results. A seroma in my armpit was a bit of a setback, but my only minor complication so far. I am about to start 3 weeks of radiation therapy and am on hormone blockers.

My best advice is to talk and read enough to feel you know the questions to ask, but "try" (easier said than done, I realise) not to get stuck in your head. Trust the experts, but ask questions if you need to, until you understand. Make contact with a breast care nurse as soon as you can - they are a wonderful support.

I recently had the Radiation Oncologist say to me "...but you cancer is gone! It's gone. We're only doing this to make sure there is the greatest chance it doesn't return." That took a bit to get my head around: I knew the pathology results, but on the treadmill for 3 months, I have been thinking of myself as a breast cancer patient, not really as a cancer-free person having some preventative treatment!

Wishing you all the very best for your treatment journey.