Breast Aware

It’s Sunday morning. The stove crackles and I’m cosy under the duvet with steaming coffee, looking out through an open wooden door onto Aldroughty woods. A carpet of copper, a cathedral canopy and diamond droplets dripping onto the canvas roof, patterned with silhouettes of leaves. I’m writing by candle light and soaking up the pure simplicity of being here in the woods. The kettle is heating on the stove top to fill the shower in the shed. Swinging the shed door open as I shower, leaving nothing between me and the great outdoors. Reminders of camping in India but with deer and red squirrel instead of tigers and crocodiles! Toasting bread on the fire triggers memories of being a small child and my dad crisping a slice of bread on a long pronged fork over the coke boiler in the farmhouse.
The yurt weekend was a wonderful, relaxing escape! A chance to completely relax and recharge. We encountered nowy weather on the journey there but were cosy and toasty warm in the yurt. Photos on facebook.

There were five breasts on the coffee table. The small private room was warm, a full length mirror stood in the corner. Prosthesis clinic. I didn’t sleep well last night, I hadn’t realised that I would be anxious about the visit to clinic. Fist time back at the hospital in six weeks and a very real reminder of the events of the past weeks. The nurse checked my scar and was happy I was healed enough to fit with a breast form. A recent small infection had healed but she did point out the start of keloid scaring and recommended twice daily massage of the scar tissue for the next twelve months. Various shapes of breast came out of boxes and were placed in and out of the mastectomy bra until we found the perfect fit! A very soft silicone teardrop, surprisingly natural, soft and comfortable. Thankfully the £135 cost is covered by the NHS. The “breast” is able to go in the pool, although the nurse couldn’t confirm how it would react to the sauna. It cannot go in the hold of an aircraft as it will develop small bubbles. If I wear it through airport security body scanners I will most likely be pulled aside and searched to determine what the random object is that appears on their screen. The “breast” may suffer at altitude should I go climbing high mountains! Otherwise it is washable and robust and guaranteed for three years. In a years time I can go back to clinic and be fitted with a stick on breast if I so desire! It adheres to the skin with a backing similar to the clear sticky pads often found holding samples into magazines. It sticks firm to the skin but leaves no residue when peeled off. It's ideally suited to running and also good for strapless dresses and tops. I was quite amazed at what is available post surgery even down to stick on nipples! I left clinic with just the new breast form in its pretty box and storage bag.

Yesterday’s news article on the effectiveness of mammograms was thought provoking. Although quite clearly saving lives the screening program is also resulting in women being “over diagnosed” and treated unnecessarily. My lobular cancer was difficult to pick up by mammogram. Even though I was able to feel the “lump” it was very foggy on the mammogram and did not show at all on the ultrasound. It was the needle aspiration which set alarm bells ringing and the core biopsies which confirmed the cancer. Ductal cancer is easier to pick up than lobular, but it shows how very important it is for women to be “breast aware” to know our breasts and to examine ourselves regularly. It’s breast awareness throughout our life, self examination and self referral that is saving lives too. We shouldn't all just be relying on routine mammograms.