SUCH IS LIFE
MARY ALLISON
For my family, friends and all the hospital staff. Without all of you, I don’t think I could have been strong enough to deal with the cancer or the treatment.
Also for Wessex Cancer Trust and MacMillan Cancer.
Chapter One – Again
Oh dear, I thought as I found a lump about a week before our family holiday to Cyprus. Do I stay, do I go? How do I tell my husband, how do I tell our son.
I am convinced it is the “C” word this time. I don’t know for sure, but they say a woman knows her own body. After finally plucking up the courage to tell my husband, he checks and agrees that the right side is not the same as the left.
We take a moment, then we discuss the holiday, do I go, do we go? We decide first to call Breast Services at our local hospital. On yes, I forgot to tell you we have been here before. I found a pea sized lump just under a year ago in the same breast. Originally I was told inconclusive after the mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy. By the time I got to the operation, I was told not to worry and everything was fine; relief!! Panic over, so I had the lymph node (plus one found during the operation) removed. Just needed to have an extended Christmas break to recover.
Anyway back to now, I made the phone call and as I expected it is a new case and I need a doctor’s referral.
Dilemma! I asked how long it would be from referral to being seen as I was off on holiday in a week. The answer came back that it might not be long and I could get an appointment while I am away. We decide to speak to our GP before the holiday. The GP examines me and we wonder whether it may be hormonal and decide that a week won’t make a huge difference. We set up a telephone consultation for our return from holiday.
Off we go on holiday, and funnily enough I don’t think about it much as we have a really good time. On the first working day back from holiday after a delay getting home and a diversion to London Heathrow and then a coach back to Gatwick to get the car, I have that chat with the GP.
It is still there, so GP sends off the referral, now the wait. But not for long, I get a date the next day. I have an appointment for another mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy.
Hopefully the rest of the book is attached to this post. I hope it helps everyone. It helped me by putting pen to paper!
Ali
aka Mary Allison - Author
