Forum Discussion
Is it? Isn’t it? Anxiously waiting...
I don’t usually talk about what’s going on, but it’s gotten too much today. I’m feeling really anxious and hoping someone can give me reassurance or even just witness this period of uncertainty...
A bit of back story... I found a lump a few months ago in my left breast. It was only small and I thought it was just a minor injury/swelling that would go down (I get them from time to time). It didn’t. It started getting bigger so I went and got it checked out. GP was concerned and sent me for ultrasound/mammogram. Results came back that they thought it was fibroadenoma and I had them in both breasts. The lump was an irregular shape and had some suspicious features, so they recommended fine needle biopsy of the lump, as well as one of the lumps in my right breast. Results were that I had fibroadenoma in right breast and papillary lesion in the left breast. Papillary lesion appeared to be benign, but they told me it still had suspicious features and as some benign papillary lesions turn out to be cancerous, they wanted to remove it as a precaution. The registrar assured me that the risk was small, then the specialist came in to conference and said it needed to be out in 2 weeks. Then the registrar told me that they would see me for follow up and decide whether more surgery was necessary. I was feeling a bit confused at the time, because he seemed at once to be telling me not to worry because it was nothing and also that it could end up being worse than suspected and require further treatment because it still might be cancer.
They did a surgical excision on 8/11 and I was told that I would get a call or a letter to schedule an appointment and that I’d be seen for the follow up in 2 weeks where they would discuss results of the pathology, regardless of the results, but not to worry if it was a bit later than that because it might even be a half week longer depending on their availability.
Fast forward to now, I haven’t heard anything from the hospital except for a text message this morning reminding me that I have an appointment tomorrow morning. This is a lot earlier than I was expecting to be seen (not yet 2 weeks even) and they didn’t actually give me any warning that the appointment was happening. I don’t know whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing that they are seeing me early, but I’ve had this dreadful feeling of foreboding all day. Do they call you in earlier if they find cancer or later? Does it make a difference at all?
To make matters worse, it was my first day back at work today and the text came about 5 minutes before I started.
I haven’t told many people what’s going on and I don’t want to worry people, so it feels like I have this huge secret weighing me down and the anxiety is driving me crazy. Not sure what to do with myself.
A bit of back story... I found a lump a few months ago in my left breast. It was only small and I thought it was just a minor injury/swelling that would go down (I get them from time to time). It didn’t. It started getting bigger so I went and got it checked out. GP was concerned and sent me for ultrasound/mammogram. Results came back that they thought it was fibroadenoma and I had them in both breasts. The lump was an irregular shape and had some suspicious features, so they recommended fine needle biopsy of the lump, as well as one of the lumps in my right breast. Results were that I had fibroadenoma in right breast and papillary lesion in the left breast. Papillary lesion appeared to be benign, but they told me it still had suspicious features and as some benign papillary lesions turn out to be cancerous, they wanted to remove it as a precaution. The registrar assured me that the risk was small, then the specialist came in to conference and said it needed to be out in 2 weeks. Then the registrar told me that they would see me for follow up and decide whether more surgery was necessary. I was feeling a bit confused at the time, because he seemed at once to be telling me not to worry because it was nothing and also that it could end up being worse than suspected and require further treatment because it still might be cancer.
They did a surgical excision on 8/11 and I was told that I would get a call or a letter to schedule an appointment and that I’d be seen for the follow up in 2 weeks where they would discuss results of the pathology, regardless of the results, but not to worry if it was a bit later than that because it might even be a half week longer depending on their availability.
Fast forward to now, I haven’t heard anything from the hospital except for a text message this morning reminding me that I have an appointment tomorrow morning. This is a lot earlier than I was expecting to be seen (not yet 2 weeks even) and they didn’t actually give me any warning that the appointment was happening. I don’t know whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing that they are seeing me early, but I’ve had this dreadful feeling of foreboding all day. Do they call you in earlier if they find cancer or later? Does it make a difference at all?
To make matters worse, it was my first day back at work today and the text came about 5 minutes before I started.
I haven’t told many people what’s going on and I don’t want to worry people, so it feels like I have this huge secret weighing me down and the anxiety is driving me crazy. Not sure what to do with myself.
22 Replies
- Fabulous news, keep dancing! :)
- Great news xx
- It's so nice when someone goes out of their way to help. And fantastic when the results come back clear!
- That’s a result worth waiting for! Best wishes.
- Good result!
- Another fiasco! I arrived for my 10am appointment to get my results and watched as everyone in the waiting room was seen and left. It was nearing 12:30 and the doctors were leaving, so I asked the nurse how much longer it would be. The nurse told me they’d been waiting for my results to come through because they still didn’t have them. I was quite upset at this point and told her I’d already taken leave without pay to come in to the appointment. She called up the pathology and organised a doctor to get the results over the phone. She told me I should go and have some lunch and she’d make sure that I would be seen with the results if I came back at 1pm. She was so kind and caring. She came and checked on me when I got back as well. She gave my results to a senior doctor to have him see me before his afternoon appointments. It’s benign! I’m so happy I could dance!
I still have have an elevated risk so I have to do mammograms and such, but I’m so happy right now! - @Phen82, you reminded me of all the stuff ups on my rollercoaster at the hospital, it was very stressful!
I once waited two and a half hours in a crowded waiting room only to find out I had been "forgotten" and the Doctors had all left, they got me to see a nurse. I left in a flood of tears of course. Hang in there and I will be thinking of you on Tuesday as I head to the dreaded hospital on the same day for a CT scan. - What an inconsiderate omnishambles @Phen82. I'm so sorry this has happened to you. Keep yourself distracted over the next few days as best you can.
Yes, it was surprisingly unsettling. I knew that this was something they did as other members here have had the same experience, but it did set me back more than I expected. So thoughtless and easily preventable. K xox - Sorry it was a rubbish day for you @Phen82
I hope you will get some good news soon. - So I waited 2 hours after my appointment time in the crowded waiting room, only to find out that they don’t have the results as they need to run more tests. They couldn’t give me any idea of what was going on, did nothing to help me and made me an appointment for next week on Tuesday (when they originally said they would see me). I’m so upset over the whole thing. I used compassionate leave and nearly all my sick leave taking time off that they said I needed for the surgery in the first place, now to be stuffed around for appointments as well is really frustrating. The appointment next week is later in the day, so I’ll need to take most of the day off work, if not the whole day and I’ll have to take it as unpaid leave as I used up the last of my sick leave today. I’m the sole income earner in my household so that’s stressful in itself.
Trying really hard not to stress but they are making it hard!
Kmakm - that sounds absolutely awful! I can’t imagine how painful it would have been to receive that reminder!
