Starting the journey - Waiting

Hi Louise

You sound like an amazing lady already and I love your sense of humour.

I was diagnosed in May with similar uh oh times, although while still on the table for the ultrasound the lovely lady said "I think the doctor would like to do a biopsy if you've nothing better to do" - I won't add my reply!!! Needless to say I stayed a little longer. After 3 failed aspirations of the enlarged node, it was onto the lump - apparently had used maximum local so I agree childbirth and gallstones were a breeze! In fact doctor decided that was not going to risk an actual core biopsy. The results were enough to know it was cancer but no details-8 days till surgeon visit which we left at 5.30pm with a night to decide and ring about lumpectomy or mastectomy!

We got home and my husband rang our three children and parents. I hid for 2 days before talking to friends!!

I went to work the next day and told my immediate manager and several colleagues, one of whom I needed as a repacement for my leadership position. What was really hard was that after that initial rush every anaethetist was off to a conference and my surgery couldn't be for another 2 weeks!! The rest of the work colleagues I told personally in the 2 days before I finished.

The"Supporting a friend or colleague with BC" pamphlet that you can download from here (or a couple come in your My Journey pack) has been great according to my friends and colleagues. You do have that don't you??

Don't know if this has been any help but must admit it was interesting to try remembering those foggy weeks even though they're only a month away!

Take care, Dette xxxx