When I decided to take voluntary redundancy from my job in travel after 30 years to explore new challenges, I wasn’t expecting to be dealing with a cancer diagnosis as one of them!
I found a lump in my right boob in the shower, I kept thinking it maybe muscle tissue as I am now doing a more manual job or was I imagining it but decided to call my surgery. I was referred under the 14 day rule & received my appointment within this time, which was great considering Covid & the restrictions that were in place.
Appointment day came & I went on my own, as I didn’t want to make a fuss. I was nervous but told myself I am a big girl, I can handle this?... After a couple of hours, taking my bra off several times, being prodded, poked, scanned, being told I had very dense boobs (I heard this several times!) & a biopsy the lump I found was a cyst & could be drained ~ hurrah! However they had found calcification spots on the scans & wanted to investigate further but felt confident it was nothing serious..
Back to the clinic for biopsy’s, I was told they would take 6 to start with & can take up to 10 which they did & added a marker. I remember the lovely nurse stroking my hand whilst they did this to reassure me.
Results showed I had DCIS at a high grade & they needed to do more biopsy’s as another area another been highlighted, 10 more biopsy’s. I felt more nervous this time as I knew what to expect but kept everything crossed.
I met a brave lady who had had to have a mastectomy & chemo whilst waiting for my results, she reassured me my results should be ok, as they normally have ‘ the chat’ with you.
Due to having 2 areas of DCIS & the area they covered 6cm, I can’t have a lumpectomy but was given the choice of a mastectomy & reconstruction later on but warned of the back log of ops due to Covid or reconstruction straight away. My initial thoughts were to have reconstruction with my own body fat ( I was told I had a little fat they maybe able to use, typically I have lost nearly 3 stone on a health kick diet) but then found out it was an 8 hour op, which I wasn’t so keen on, can you believe I am 49 & never had an op! People pay thousands for silicone implants but have heard mixed reviews on these & one of best friends who had to have a mastectomy in Nov, told me she wouldn’t let me have a silicone reconstruction, it’s amazing what everyone tells you what they would do but at the end of the day it’s my body!
On Thursday I am having a mastectomy & will live with no boob & chicken Phil (as my boss calls it) & see how I get on. I have researched prosthesis bra & swimwear & they look ok, maybe not my first choices but I am lucky the diagnosis so far isn’t as bad as it is for some.
I am spending the next few days getting organised, re reading the many leaflets I have been given, cleaning the house, changing my mind several times about what to wear as I will coming home with a drain, going for my Covid swab & nuclear dye, as they are also taking some lymph nodes.
So much has happened in a short space of time & it all feels very surreal, I wanted to keep a record to remind me & help others if they are having similar experiences.
The support I have been given by the clinic, family & friends has been amazing, thank you x
