Forum Discussion
The Journey Begins
Last Monday 30th May, 2016, I attended my first Mammogram after picking up a brochure at the Dr's surgery whilst I was waiting to get my results for blood tests, just doing a checkup to see where my hormone levels were at as I have started Meno. I booked it in after I got home and went along to the bus in Camden. The Radiologist was so nice and she did a few extra scans as Im a bigger girl and she thought it was a good idea... (Im so pleased she did).
On Monday 6th June, I got a call from the Liverpool Breast Screen Clinic to come back in for a follow up. The Breast Screen Nurse was amazing (Sam). She said that something had shown up and they wanted to do a followup Mammogram and ultrasound. Of course this then put the stress levels up.
On Tuesday I went into the Clinic and was pretty much seen straight away... they made me feel less stressed. I first met the other Breast Screen Nurse (Debbie). She explained what was going to happen. Mammogram, Ultrasound and then a Biopsy if needed. I had it done and there "IT" was, 2 spots side by side in my Left breast, I then had the Ultrasound. The Radiologist was also excellent, she made me feel comfortable however nothing was about to stop the tears from flowing as she explained what she was seeing. She explained the size, shape and asked if I had seen dimpling .. (nothing). I check my breast regularly but found nothing.
I then saw the Dr and he was just amazing... I said give it to me straight.. he did... He examined my breasts and then the question ... did you feel anything.. his reply.. NO.. so the Mammogram was it.
I then went for a break for an hour and came back to have the Biopsy... the Dr was great as well as Sam. They warned me that I could end up with a Haematoma and I did.. the 3rd sample hurt but now my poor boob is bruised and red and blue... but it is nothing compared to what it could of been.
I am now waiting for the results to hopefully come back on Tuesday and then the decisions will happen.
Watch this space!
Latest News from 14/6/2016
Today I had my follow up appointment at Liverpool.. what an awesome bunch of girls and Dr's.
Well, It is Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Stage 2A... no lymph node involvement. 3cm (not as big as they thought) Stellate carcinoma's x 2. Very prominent on the scans... So tomorrow I need to see my GP for a referral to a surgeon and see where I go from here. I have decided tho to have the breast removed and if I can find a surgeon to remove the Right one I am going to do the whole thing with a reconstruction. There is no stuffing around.. i do not want to be going through this again in 5 yrs and wondering if and when it is going to come back... and it is no good saying .. oh it might not. well it will and it does. Im being realistic and with the way my life is (which I enjoy) I dont want to be having these feelings again, ever. My decision, My body.
57 Replies
Kath and Jel - I agree too. The rich resource that is our experience shared HERE is what has really, genuinely helped me :)
Nikki x
Kath I am so much with you when it comes to the respirces abailable to us on all aspects of BC, be it diagnosis, treatment or reconstruction...
Just too generic and insufficinet for women to be able to assess impact it may have on their lives and how to plan for it or manage it...
You are so so so right in saying that info and experience shared here is the best and most reliable resource ever...
??
Jel
With StartingnChemo depends how quickly you recover from then surgery as they need you to heal before they kill off your immune system...
Anything from 3 to 6 weeks... Mine took 6 weeks due to combination of a mild post op infection and several medical conditions they wanted the tread carefully arround but I know that they were getting antsy arround the 6 werk mark saying it was time to stop delaying...
With Radiation I have been advised looking at starting it probably 3 weeks post last Chemo session and looking at daily treatment for a period of 6 weeks... I also had no sentinal node involvement but the cancer was grade 3 and as did not have a masyevtomy they are probably being more cautious with me seeing there is still breast tissue arround...
Jel
The reconstruction booklets also are VERY basic too and give you no idea really what to expect post op....nor did the nurses really as so many woman don't do reconstruction until later. This site is a much better resource.
ah geez... doesnt get any better does it.. lol .lol
Im laughing... i must of run of a bus load of chinamen... my life was and is so good... and now this... damn someone up there must think I needed another challenge to liven things up...
ok.. thanks .. i read that the other day in a little book that I picked up at the Hospital .. Cancer centre booklets.. they are great just for basic info...
4 weeks post Mastectomy for Radiotherapy. .. well at least I can plan something around that.
Also...chemo regime vary but they normally take around 6 months. If you are her2 + then you are also looking at 12 months of herceptin...starting 3 months into chemo and continuing after.
Yes it is bloody hard Kathy. But you know I think what we have to accept is we are not in control of this journey nor our emotional response. Once I accepted that and have just rolled with it...I am much less stressed. I have stopped making tight lined plans and just going with "when i have finished treatment. .. I will see how I feel when I get there and then decide what and when I will do things". It has been a whole lot more exhausting than I could have believed. I am just glad I was physically fit at the start. Kath.
I was told and started chemo within 6 weeks of mastectomy and reconstruction. If just mastectomy it could be done around 4 weeks after I believe. Radiotherapy is done after chemo...3 to 4 weeks from chemo completion from what I have read by others. If no chemo needed then around the same time as chemo commencing. Kath.
question.????..
Chemo and Radiotherapy... when does this normally start post OT... 2 weeks, 4 weeks etc...
My Surgeon said I could end up doing 3-4 weeks 5 days a week of Radiotherapy but wasnt sure about Chemo..
