A lot of friends, particularly female friends have timidly asked me since I have shared this news “how did I know to get checked out” “what was it that made me see the doctor”? “Did you feel a lump”?
The short answer is there is still no lump that I can feel, I mean there is one obviously it’s there is the scans and I’ve seen the images but I can’t feel it. So how did I know?
For me my right nipple started acting strange. It had started to become hard constantly and also emit puss and blood. So I went to the doctor who had thought I may have an infection, most likely mastitis. I duly took some antibiotics for two weeks but nothing changed.
So back to the doctors I went. A different doctor this time was unhappy with how it looked and whilst they couldn’t feel anything in the way of a lump the strange way my nipple was presenting was enough of a worry to refer me to a specialist.
Within 10 days I was seeing a specialist at a private clinic but via the NHS. He took one look and agreed this was not normal. He asked lots of questions about my medical background, do I smoke (not since university (sorry mum and Dad I did have a few!)) any history of breast cancer in the family etc, not any close relatives. So nothing led to immediate thoughts of cancer. But to be sure he wanted me to have a scan.
Being in the facility I was in this meant heading next door for an ultrasound. This was a strange experience! All previous ultrasounds had been when I was pregnant and so there was that nervous anticipation of waiting for this little fast heartbeat. Now I was waiting to guess the look on the sonographers face, not easy when they are covered in PPE.
Turns out her look was one of concern. She had found a suspicious dark matter right behind my nipple as well as a couple of swollen lymph nodes. This could just be an infection. But to be sure the consultant and sonographer agreed it was best to do a biopsy. Which they conducted then and there guided by the sonogram.
So sonogram in one hand large needle in the other after local anaesthetic a biopsy was taken and let me tell you the local anaesthetic did not help at all it flipping hurt! She warned me it might as it’s so sensitive round the nipple, but I wasn’t prepared for how much! A smaller normal needle was used to get a sample of the lymph nodes.
Consultant told me it could be cancer it could be infection we won’t know until we have the results in 6 days, but bring someone with you when you find out! Unfortunately I got a heads up as in the day of my results meeting I was asked to go in head of time for a contrast mammogram which gave the game away some what. But I still hoped it was infection.
So that’s the story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down....I confess I didn’t regularly check my boobs if I hadn’t had an outward symptom my Larry lump (as I call him) would remain undetected. So ladies (and men with ladies) check your boobs regularly and no concern is too small to bother your doctor about. If you feel they dismiss your concerns seek a second opinion.
Take care all Kathy x
