On 10th November I went to my GP. She examined my breasts and wasn't happy with the skin texture which she referred to as tethering. She referred me to the breast clinic, as she said, under the 'two week rule'. I was extremely surprised to come home to a letter the next day asking me to attend the breast clinic the following Monday 14th November. During the GP appointment I discussed the fact that three years previous, I had been referred to breast clinic with breast pain. I was actually diagnosed with a benign fibroadenoma which was in the same area of my breast as this current issue.
At the breast clinic appointment I was given mammogram and ultrasound. The radiographer seemed puzzled when looking at the pictures from the mammogram. I told her about the fibroadenoma. She brought up the mammogram and scan pictures from my previous visit. She was very focused on her task scanning this way and that, then referring back to the pictures. I asked her what she was seeing. I'm better with the blunt truth than frilly platitudes so I pushed a little. She said she couldn't really say until a biopsy was carried out. So I asked, 'is it another fibroadenoma you can see?' She said it wasn't. I think I decided at that point that this was serious. She then took four biopsy samples. Back around to another waiting room, then in to see the consultant. He examined me, then discussed what the outcome could possibly be. I came away from that appointment with the information that the 16mm ill defined mass could potentially be malignant. If that were the case, it would be very treatable. I was ushered from that room into another consulting room where we were told to wait for the specialist breast nurse. I wasn't really sure why. She came into the room and just basically sat in front of me and my partner. I felt under pressure to speak, so I asked her if they would call me if the results were clear. She said they probably wouldn't be calling me, I could just come into clinic for a review appointment. That kind of confirmed my view that something was awry. She was mostly unhelpful, but gave me the Macmillan handout book about breast cancer. She still made me feel that I should be talking... so I basically said thanks for the book, I'll see you at the review appointment.
