Andrea66
hi everybody, well this is my first time of posting so hope I'm doing it right! 6 months ago I made the decision to move from central coast of NSW to QLD. My beautiful family with grandchildren are much closer now. And so my new life was beginning or so I thought! In April I was contacted by breast screen to go for another " precautionary " mammogram as a recent scan had shown an abnormality???? Nothing really to worry about???? All of the staff were lovely and I was poked,prodded,biopsies but still confident it was all just " precautionary " 1 week later I had to return for the results. Is there anyone you can bring with you I was asked? Now I'm starting to worry!! The dr was lovely, the nurse was lovely as they gave me the " unfortunately it's not good news "!!! My head was spinning, I didn't cry, just sat like a stunned mullet !!! My daughter in law held one hand and the nurse the other. Invasive ductal carcinoma, only very small, which was a good sign! One week later I'm meeting with my surgeon who said it looks like it hasn't spread so the plan was to have a lumpectomy and sentinel node removal then most likely a course of radiotherapy. 4 weeks later operation ! Dr seemed quite pleased and confident but would have to wait for pathology. 1 week later bad news, not clear margins and sentinel node had cancer. Dr was so supportive and explained everything and gave me options as to further action. 5 days later I went back with my decision to have left mastectomy with node clearance. Operation scheduled for the following week. CT and bone scan were done and unfortunately the CT scan revealed a clot near my collar bone, operation would now be delayed 2 weeks as I now had to give myself daily clexane injections!!! Not to be outdone under my arm developed a huge infection which meant a course of antibiotics. 2 nd operation finally happened almost 4 weeks after the first!! Waking up after that operation with a drain inserted was quite a shock as before surgery my dr had said normally she doesn't use them. I was beginning to realise by then that I was far from normal !!!! After spending 3 days in hospital I went home drain had become my new best friend.... Not!!! 5 days later I'm back for my check up and results. Feeling very positive, I can do this and then.... Unfortunately out of the 19 nodes that were taken another 5 have cancer and the original size of the tumour was to be found somewhat larger!!! 2 weeks on I have now seen my oncologist and decided to go with all the recommended treatment , 6 months chemo, 3 months radiotherapy and 5 years hormone therapy! I feel my whole being has been turned upside down, inside out and exposed for the whole world to see!!! I feel as though I have gone from a strong confident person to a quivering mass of jelly! My family are so supportive and my sister and niece have come out from England to spend sometime with me. I feel surrounded by love but at the end of the day I am so very scared. I've been poked, prodded, had every test,scan imagaginable and wonder how I'm ever going to get through this. For the last couple of months I read all of your blogs and I am amazed by your stories, your strengths and your courage. I just hope some of it rubs of on me!!! So sorry for going on and on but I will end now. Take care everybody and hopefully I will get a bit more positivity back soon! Xx
