My journey begins

I sat in the waiting room on Monday 6^th August at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, watching the Olympics on the TV screen (which was broken , all the colours green and yellow) Beth Tweddle had just gained Bronze in the Uneven bars. Moments later I was told I had Invasive Lobular Breast Cancer.

I am due to have a left breast mastectomy on 6^th September, three months after first going to my GP.
It was a good weekend. I went to the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh and to Glasgow to see Alice in her new flat. The change was just what I needed. Slept and ate well and felt good yesterday and this morning. Not cried or had painkillers for two whole days! Yippie! Friday was crappy as hospital messed up my MRI appointment. The letter came in the post Friday morning for the day AFTER surgery? They need the results to do the surgery! Meant it would all be delayed? Anyway I got on the phone and sorted it and went in Friday afternoon, sadly had to cancel a play date on the beach in the sunshine with my little friend James.

Hospital had also told me my lymph nodes were clear in the ultra sound but I didn't remember having it done, well of course they haven't done it! Doesn't fill you with confidence.  Have already had to chase results twice. It’s been a long and emotional "waiting game" since the first mammogram on 18th June. Only 4500 UK cases of this cancer a year so I guess Aberdeen haven't seen many? I am going to have to be my usual assertive stroppy self to stay on top of it all every step of the way! (You can do what you like when you have cancer and get away with it!!?)

I am going to our local cancer support centre this afternoon for a massage. I popped into CLAN (Cancer Link Aberdeen & North) on Friday to see the place and see what they offer. The first self help pamphlet I picked up was "Getting Travel Insurance After Cancer"! Need to get my priorities right! Followed by the "Macmillan Recipe Book"!

Ironic that I unknowingly ran the Edinburgh half marathon on 27th May with Lobular Breast Cancer (ILC) knocking 9 mins off my personal best coming in under two hours at 1hr 55mins! And raised £675 for CLAN! A few days after the marathon my Dad was also diagnosed with prostate cancer. I was proud to have completed the race with my 18 year old daughter, Alice.

The story to this point in time..

I was first aware of a "change" in my left breast back around February time. I cant be sure. I was training and put it down to fitness / weight loss. The hardened area, a cm or so was not sore and remained there. After a while I was aware of a small "pea" on the edge of the area. I had been to my GP with various shoulder, neck and arm pains over the previous 18 months and although I underwent two carpal tunnel ops I had been more or less been told I was depressed and menopausal so I avoided the Dr at all costs. I am a fit, generally healthy, assertive and capable 48 year old lady, with two fabulous daughters 17 and 18 and a husband that puts up with me no matter what! Yes life has been extremely stressful at times, for various reasons over the past 6 years since our move to Aberdeen, but I have risen and overcome every challenge and never considered myself depressed! Having completed the half marathon and one evening watching Embarrassing Bodies on TV all about breasts and lumps etc, Paul persuaded me to go the GP. Same old story, it was "nothing" but he would send me for a scan to stop me worrying! Two weeks later I got the appointment, routine mammogram on 18th June, come back for results on 3rd July. Before the results clinic another appointment came to have detailed mammograms done. An unpleasant experience as this time I was severely squashed between the plates causing discharge from my nipple. Following that I saw the consultant. "What seems to be the problem"? I was hoping they would tell me! She examined me not able to feel the “area” until I pointed it out to her. She sent me for ultra sound and then fine needle biopsy. The biopsy came back as “abnormal” but they couldn’t say if it was or was not cancer. She indicated that they didn’t know what was going on. We were sent home to wait for two weeks while the cancer team discussed the findings. Having heard nothing I phoned, unsuccessfully and e mailed to chase results. Mammography phoned me and made an appointment for core biopsy on 19^th July. Two needles for anaesthetic, three biopsies of the “lump” four biopsies of calcifications and a needle to put in a marker. Dr Tanya was fantastic. She said there was something there but they would not know what until they got results in another 14 days or so. I came home and had a massive break down, crying inconsolably in a heap outside. I think that is the point that I was fairly sure it may be cancer. Dr Tanya’s final words as she put her hand on my arm were “You’ve been a brilliant patient Mrs Stedman, I wish you all the very best.

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