New here - BRCA1 carrier, anxiously waiting on lymph node results

I am a 54-year-old mum of 6, 2 nearly teens at home who are autistic and my husband.

Recently became the first Jewish Mayor of our Town and I am very active on the Board of Deputies of British Jews and our local authority's standing advisory for religious education. I have multiple other long-term conditions and use a wheelchair to get around.

I am a BRCA1 carrier and so are both my middle girls.

My grandmother and mother both had Cancer and battled to age 64 and 46. My younger sisters have both had cancer and now it is my turn. I found out on 4th July, Independence Day, what a date to be diagnosed.

Everyone tells me how strong I am and how dignified I am and because I post openly on my Facebook apparently I am admired. I don't feel like that at all, all I want to do is take the stigma of “ oh don't tell anyone” like Cancer is a little dirty secret away.

My hair was very thin from the biological drugs I was on to treat my Rheumatoid arthritis and I had to have my extensions taken out because of the scans etc so now I look like I am in the throes of fighting cancer as well, which bothered me because I have obligations as a Mayor to attend Civic events.

I am now waiting after my scans to get an appointment to see where we are at, if the cancer has spread through the lymph nodes in my underarm as they were testing positive with my biopsy and 2 other areas in my breast.

It's such a worrying time yhd waiting between tests and getting a plan of action.

.