I have had this little marble size lump for almost 15 years in my left breast. It is situated just of my at the bottom of my left breast.
I noticed it when I was 42, I am now 57. I remember going to my GP and he poked and prodded and said 'It is nothing'. So I went away, but I was still worried. I tried through the GP's receptionist to get a referral to the breast clinic from the GP, but it was no go. So I rang the breast clinic myself and was given a appointment.
My friend who had breast cancer came with me. I had some tests and was told all was okay it was just a 'cyst'. I also had around 7 other cysts. So they drained the cysts. No pain and no problem. When they tried to drain the lump I had gone with I nearly went through the ceiling. The pain was unbelievable. It was suggested it was a very old and probably 'collapsed' cyst!
My friend who was with me cried when I told her it was not breast cancer. So pleased was she that I would not have to 'go through what she was going through'!
I have lost track of how many times I went back to GP's for referrals back to the breast unit. In 2005, they did the 'fine needle' test. The results came back 'non-malignant'. I did not know back then they could do a core-biopsy. So I assumed all was well.
From the beginning the 'lump' had been painful at times. I would have 'flare ups' of the pain and it would niggle away at me. I went to a GP in 2008 to ask to be referred to have the lump removed. I was told 'you will probably have more pain from the scar than you get from the lump'. So no referral and no removal.
I moved home in 2011 and registered with a new GP. I still had 'flare ups' of the pain, but in the last few years and with putting on so much weight, they seemed worse. I assumed my bigger arm and bigger breast were probably touching more and 'catching' the lump. So I asked my GP to refer me to the breast clinic to ask about the lump being removed.
I went to the breast clinic on the 11th December 2013. I saw the consultant, who examined me. I was then sent for a mammogram and a ultra-sound. Both of which I had had several times before. This time, however, there was a young female Doctor of Radiology brought into the scan room. It was her who said 'lets get this sorted once and for all' with a core-biopsy. This was done.
I was given a appointment to go back on the 8th January 2014 for the results. I though because the lump had been there so very long it was just a 'old and collapsed' cyst like I had been told.
When I went back, just over a week ago now. I thought I was going to be told 'Yes, it is just a stubborn cyst. We cannot drain it, but we will remove it'. How wrong I was. I knew when I saw the Macmillan nurse come in with the consultant that maybe this was not a 'old and collapsed' cyst.
I do have breast cancer. I cannot get my head around how long I have actually had breast cancer in the lump. I still need to ask many questions. It seems though at the moment I have more questions that there are answers.
It is a Salivary Gland like mammary carcinoma. Size 12mm on mammogram 10mm on ultrasound. Not able to grade. Not known regarding Hormone Receptor or HER2 Receptor. This is all I know from the Pathology Report. I am told it is being told too many things to process and make sense of right now. The outlook is supposedly v.good, but I fear after all I was told in the past at the breast clinic I am not so accepting any more or believing!
I go on Tuesday 21th January to have the lump removed. The lump will then be sent to Nottingham where there are Pathologists experienced in this rare type of breast cancer. There are none locally and not enough was taken in the core-biopsy to give a full answer.
I am trying to remain positive and some days I succeed and some days I don't. I had my pre-op on Thursday 16th. I had only left the hospital one hour when I got a phone call to say they had lost my ECG results! They will now do another ECG on Tuesday when I go in for the op!
I have cried and cried a lot. Mainly through the lack of information. There is hardly any around for this type of breast cancer and whet there is is very 'clinical' and hard to decipher.
I like to know what it is I am facing. I do not like 'maybe' or 'think'. I want the cold, hard facts. I will have to wait for 2-3 weeks after the lumpectomy for those! I also do not like anything 'sugar coated' I have already had one nurse do some of that. On finding that out I then would not believe she is not 'sugar coating' everything! So it does not help. Just make me not trust that they are being upfront with me and telling it like it really is.
I am just wondering if they had removed this very small lump 15, 10, 5 years ago if there would not have been a 'ready made' site for cancer to take up residence? See, more questions than answers.
I will be back!
Take care all and good-luck xxxx
