Today, I have received my diagnosis of Stage 1 Breast Cancer. This has followed a long, ongoing investigation into a blood test which showed raised Tumour markers CA19.9 which is associated with the stomach, gastro intestinal tract, pancreas and ovaries. The testing I had revealed a cyst on my ovaries and, while I was waiting to hear about treatment for that, my doctor suggested I have a mammogram "just to rule anything else out". I wasn't expecting they would find a lump, I would have a biopsy and hear that it was indeed cancer, all within 3 days. Monday morning my life was normal, or at least as normal as it can be when you are feeling generally unwell. Now my treatment has switched from focussing on my ovaries to my breast and I am being seen by a breast surgeon next Tueaday. I feel nothing! No fear, no upset, nothing! This in itself is a bit unusual! Shouldn't I feel something? Anything? I am thinking I might be in shock but that doesn't feel right either. I know I want to see a breast care nurse but I'm not sure why or what she would be able to do for me. This journey feels like a minefield. I don't know what questions to ask and feel that if I don't take charge of my health, I might just get swept along with whatever gets organised for me without my having any say or making the best choices for me! Is there anyone out there who has had similar feelings or experiences. Help!!! I feel like I'm drowning!

Welcome to this network,and what a great post by Mona.I agree that finding a surgeon,and oncologist,that you feel confident in,is VERY important.For me,because I really had no clue what I was up against in the early days,I found that this network and the advice from the ladies on here,is what got me through those first couple of weeks.Then,once I had my plan of treatment,I felt a lot calmer and more confident.My husband was overseas when I was diagnosed,and I think that a bit of adrenaline kicked in,or something like that,because I was very matter of fact about things in the first few days.We all cope differently I think,so just do what feels right for you.I didn't see a breast care nurse until my chemo started,but I think that if you see one,they will definitely be able to give you a good idea of what to expect,and perhaps options that may be available to you.Stay on here ,and if you have any other questions,just put them on here.There will always be someone on here to help,you.Cheers xoxRobyn

Welcome to this network, it's a stressful time for you. Stage 1 means it is early stages and that's a good thing. Breast cancer nurses are wonderful, I found them very helpful. If you order the 'My Journery Kit' from this website, it has a wonderful booklet and diary in it and lots of other information. I found this book provided useful explanations and helped me with the terminology used by doctors. The diary was good for keeping the endless appointments under control. This network has been invaluable to me and Robyn is right, there is always someone on here to help. We all handle things differently, it's very hard to do but try to take one day at a time, looking down the track can be more stressful, I wish you well and stay in touch, take care, Hazel xx

Hello Bandkh90 - just wanted to say hello/welcome to tthis network, I hope the network gives you a place to connect with others and share your experiences. Just want to let you know that If you need a hand with anything just give me a shout : )~ Jess

New diagnosis | BCNA Online Network

13 Replies

Hazel_M
Member
11 years ago
Sorry to hear you have been through the wars. I did 30 sessions of radiotherapy finishing on 12/5 this year. I found it fairly easy to deal with. Up until the 20th treatment my breast was fine, then I started to get broken skin under the breast which the lovely nurses dressed every day for me. Once the radiation ended this skin healed very quickly. I was quite fatigued after it but I had only finished chemo a few weeks before radiation so it was hard to tell if the fatigue was a mixture from both treatments. It was also my left breast, so they gave me an echocardiogram to make sure my heart was fine before I started. Just follow all the advice for skin care and you should be fine. Wish you all the best, take care,

Hazel xx
Atmese
Member
11 years ago
I enjoyed reading your posts and can so, so relate to the feelings. At times I thought I was just turning into an emotional ratbag. It all feels so unreal. I too have a grade 2 cancer and I am to start the 6 weeks of radium treatment Monday morning. I only have to drive about 10mins as they have the service on the Sunshine Coast close to where I live. One good thing about a not so good experience. However the oncologist picked up a heart problem I didn't know I had so now I have to deal with this and my tumour was close to the chest wall. I really am past thinking about it all. It is good to know other are feeling the same as myself. All the best, I am sure we will make it through this next stage. Margaret
Bandkh90
Member
11 years ago
Thanks Beery for the kind words of support. I am not sure I am welcoming the tiredness that's probably coming but I'm scared of the other side effects. But, as you said, you breezed through the treatment, so I might be lucky too! Thank you again and I look forward to "chatting" with you again. Barbara
Beery
Member
11 years ago
Hi Bandkh90,

You have been thru the wars. Hang in there .....it will get better. I was treated for DCIS with 6 weeks of radiation 13 years ago. Admitted mine was in the right breast and I was advised of scaring to lungs etc. I breezed thru the radiation but I must admit that I did become very tired about half way thru the treatment, which had been pointed out along with sunburn, which I didn't get. I used alovera (spelling isn't right) cream throughout the regime. I also did a lot of walking which helped with the stress as well and tried to maintain a healthy diet with plenty of fresh fruit and veges.

You have your action plan now and you also have assistance within your oncology unit. Help is just a phone call away or you can just blog us here. Chin up ....all will be well. Sue:-)
Bandkh90
Member
11 years ago
Well, I went very quiet after my initial post, didn't I? It wasn't by choice but everything was in such a state of turmoil and rush that I didn't seem to have any time for thinking, let alone posting on a blog! So, first, let me say how grateful I am for all the messages of support I received in what has turned out to be quite a journey! I am so grateful. I live in a semi rural area to the north west of Noosa in Qld, so travelling for services is par for the course. Within a week of visiting my surgeon, I was to be operated on. First, on the day of my op. I had to drive 50 minutes to the Nuclear Medicine facility (as my hospital has no such facility) to have radioactive isotopes injected into my breast. I was scared but it turned out to be a fairly painless - piece of cake! Then it was back to my hospital to have the hook wire inserted - ouch! Then the op! By the time I was wheeled into the operating room, I was looking forward to the sleep lol! The op went well and I was in tip top shape with very little pain. Bonus! I was discharged home 2 days after the op and, although I was feeling vaguely unwell, was considered well enough! So home I went ...... Then all hell broke loose! The evening of the day I was discharged, I was so ill that, when hubby came home from work, I was begging him to take me back to the hospital. The emergency room doctor took one look at me and five minutes later, I was being wheeled up to the ward I had been discharged from earlier that day, bloods were taken, cannulas inserted and I was being fussed over. I don't remember much of the next two days except having a raging fever, vomiting, feeling cold and very, very ill. Turned out I had developed an very large haematoma behind the wound (which is quite normal), coupled with a very nasty infection. The long and short of this sad story is that I had to have a further operation to deal with the haematoma and infection and was in hospital for another 12 days. The good news is that the margins were clear and there was no involvement of the lymph nodes. So, all good, right? Well no, not exactly. Turns out it was a Grade 2 tumour, not Grade 1 but it's Radiotherapy for me. I visited the Oncologist for the first time on Friday and, to say I'm shocked at the scope of the radiotherapy would be an understatement. Because the tumour was in my left breast, there could be heart involvement, lung scarring etc along with the myriad of other possible side effects which I dont have to tell any of you about. I think this radiotherapy is the worst part - did anyone else feel like this? I came out of the Oncologists office and burst into tears at the receptionists desk. I felt so alone (as I have throughout all of this journey - no ones fault, just circumstances) and scared at the thought of what is ahead! I would love to hear the experiences of other survivors during their radiotherapy treatment and am also seeking info on clean eating or cancer fighting foods if anyone has anything to share. Thank you so much again for your support thus far and I look forward to hearing back from anyone who cares to post. Cheers, Barbara
Beery
Member
11 years ago
Yes, everyone reacts differently. Luckily the cancer was found early. I'm afraid I'm a bit of a control freak and did a lot of research online in order to ask the appropriate questions. The breast cancer nurse was also very helpful too. Waiting was the hardest thing. Stay calm, be positive and good luck. Sue :-)
Beery
Member
11 years ago
Yes, everyone reacts differently. Luckily the cancer was found early. I'm afraid I'm a bit of a control freak and did a lot of research online in order to ask the appropriate questions. The breast cancer nurse was also very helpful too. Waiting was the hardest thing. Stay calm, be positive and good luck. Sue :-)
Johjoh
Member
12 years ago
You are not alone! When I was told I had breast cancer I didn't really react either. I didn't cry, I didn't really feel anything, I just went quiet. I went to see my breast surgeon, breast nurses, & specialists with my hubby in tow and they would be talking to me, asking me questions and I was answering and agreeing with them. Even the breast nurse would ask how I was feeling and I'll be saying I'm fine. My attitude was they know what's best so I just went along with everything and left it up to my hubby to ask questions. There was so much information that I was trying to process from what the doctors were saying that only thing that was going through my mind was... "Is this for real"? The day I decided to let my work know my situation (2 weeks later after being diagnosed) I remember driving to work, I was feeling agitated and a bundle of nerves, I cried in the car all the way to work. As soon as I got to work (made sure I stopped crying and pretended I was ok) I walked into the managers office burst into tears again and told her I had breast cancer. That day was the day it hit me that I had breast cancer and I was agitated, upset, and a bundle of nerves because I had no choice but to accept it. My husband was the one who told family members about my diagnosis but with my work it was up to me to tell them. It was the first time I had to tell someone that I had breast cancer. Reality hit me hard! After that I accepted it and started to deal with it and now I try to keep positive and strong. We all deal with it in our own way and I'm sure you will feel something soon and when you do you need to let it out. I wish you all the best and take care! ?? Joh
Jess_BCNA
Member
12 years ago
Hello Bandkh90 - just wanted to say hello/welcome to tthis network, I hope the network gives you a place to connect with others and share your experiences. Just want to let you know that If you need a hand with anything just give me a shout : )
~ Jess
Hazel_M
Member
12 years ago
Welcome to this network, it's a stressful time for you. Stage 1 means it is early stages and that's a good thing. Breast cancer nurses are wonderful, I found them very helpful. If you order the 'My Journery Kit' from this website, it has a wonderful booklet and diary in it and lots of other information. I found this book provided useful explanations and helped me with the terminology used by doctors. The diary was good for keeping the endless appointments under control. This network has been invaluable to me and Robyn is right, there is always someone on here to help. We all handle things differently, it's very hard to do but try to take one day at a time, looking down the track can be more stressful, I wish you well and stay in touch, take care,

Hazel xx