Hi - I’ve been ‘lurking’ for a while so thought I’d take the plunge and post. I was diagnosed this week with grade 2 invasive ductal carcinoma and am having a mastectomy and sentinal node biopsy this Friday. This all still seems a bit surreal as it’s only 2 weeks since I went to have a lump checked expecting to be sent away for wasting their time. I’m still half expecting the phone call to say …oops sorry we got your results mixed up… probably because I don’t feel ill at all, just tired. Anyway, I’m so glad to have found you guys as it seems you have some great help and advice to give, I just want to get Friday over and done with, I guess the waiting is one of the worst parts of all this.
Hi Piper,
sorry you have had to join us but glad you have plucked up the courage to post your comments.
You have come to the right place and will get loads of support and advice from us girls as you progress along your journey.
We have all been or are where you are right now so feel free to ask any questions you like - no matter how small or daft they may seem - one of us will have an answer for you.
Please let us know how you are doing
Clarabelle x
Hi Piper
sorry you have had to join us here. Can understand the feeling surreal period you are going through, its such a shock to the system that it does take some time to sink in especially as you say you dont feel ill ! There is pleny of support and words of wisdom here and brilliant that you have posted.
Yes the waiting part is definitely one of the worst aspects of all this, ones mind cant help but go into overdrive at points but that is why its good you can come on this site and air your feelings whatever they are, there is always a listening ear
take care and thinking of you
Max x
Thank you Clarabelle and Max, what lovely people you are here. I was up early again today but I guess that’s ‘normal’ too, I was on HRT and since stopping it the night sweats are back which isn’t helping, I’m really irritable inside but making a real efort to stay positive to everyone so they don’t worry, but deep down I want to smash a few plates and scream! However today is another day closer to getting rid of this thing so that’s a plus, thanks again guys.
Hi Piper, oh I so do know how your feeling at the minute, smashing plates sounds like a dam good idea lol I was only diagnosed on the 27th of January and I have to have a Mastectomy, but I dont have any dates yet because my consultant was waiting for the results of an MRI scan, the hospital my MRI was done was a different hospital to the one where I am having treatment for the breast cancer.The MRI was on the brain so my consultant couldn’t give me a date till he had the result of my MRI, this was nothing to do with my breast cancer. Anyway on Friday after a bit of NHS ping pong has I was told it was from a nurse friend of mine my GP rang me with the result. He said he wouldn’t tell me all what it said, most of it was medical jargon I wouldn’t understand but the last sentence said, that the consultant could give a diagnosis till he had all the test results, but he couldn’t see no reason why I couldn’t have the operation, so hopefully next week I might here when it is going to be.I hope I do hear something this week because like the ladies have told me on here it is the waiting thats the worse, and like you and everyone else has said I want to get rid of this thing inside me.
If I dont get chance to chat again good luck for friday.
Love Heather
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Hi Piper
Welcome to the Breast Cancer Care forums. Aswell as the help and advice you are receiving from the other users you may find BCC’s resource pack helpful. It has been designed for those newly diagnosed and is free of charge, as are all our publications.
If you would like a copy just follow the link below:
breastcancercare.org.uk/server/show/nav.718/changeTemplate/PublicationDisplay/publicationId/82
I hope this is of some help to you.
kind regards
Sam (BCC Facilitator)
Thanks Heather and Sam, yes I’ll follow up on the info, I hate not knowing what all the jargon means…must be a control freak lurking in me somewhere. Heather it sounds like we’ll be going through mastectomy’s at about the same time but I’m so sorry you’ve had a lot more waiting around than I’ve had, you must be going up the wall. I’ve been surprised at how quickly I’ve been diagnosed and treatment arranged, the treatment and advice I’ve had so far from the Consultant and the Macmillan nurse has been excellent. I feel emabarassed thinking about how I handled being told, my OH said I got quite manic and all but thanked them for giving me this! It was all such a shock and my ‘brave face’ took over and I think they probably thought I was a bit flippant about it but I hope they’ve seen it all before? I wondered how you all took the news intitially?
Hope to hear you have a date soon Heather.
hi piper, I have been looking at this website for a few weeks now, just reading some of the ‘posts’. I have just plucked up courage to write something, but did not know quite how to go about it, so i’m glad I saw your ‘post’, even that is a new word for me. I was diagnosed on the 2nd of Jan 2009. I had to wait 4 weeks until the operation, which was on 9th of Feb. I had a Wide Local Excision, with sentinal node biopsy. So I’m still coming round from the op. I have 3 more weeks to wait before my results and if I will have treatment or not, so the waiting is getting to me already! At least I worked right up till I had my op. last Monday so time went more quickly! Anyway I feel quite positive about things, and am taking it a step at a time. You have had to get used to things quite quickly piper,so keep thinking positive and hope to read how you are going on in the next few weeks!
Hi Nell, I’m glad like me you plucked up courage to write and glad to hear your op went okay. What a long wait you had though for your op and now for the results, I thought the results would be within a couple of weeks of the op but I’m not really sure. I finished work on Friday, unfortunately for good as the company I work for has closed down so I’m unemployed as well, not my year so far really! I too try and keep as positive as I can, a lovely long walk in the countryside with the dogs today did wonders. Hope to hear good news about your results as soon as you get them Nell, and keep ‘posting’!!
hi piper, so sorry you lost your job as well, but keep your positive vibes going and keep the walks with your dogs going too. Had a short walk yesterday, it was good, but ready for a rest when I got back!!!
I’m signing off now, cos my husband wants to use the computer, I’ve been hogging it.Keep ‘posting’ too!
I was diagnosed on th 30th Jan.Had my sentinel node biopsy on Tuesday and I’m seeing the consultant on the 18th for the results.They’ve said they’re going to shrink the tumour before removing it so will be starting on chemo soon.I’ve an appointment with the oncologist wed too.
Feeling very up and down,one minute I think “it’s no big deal,this is happening to so many women,you’re not that special” but sometimes I feel very alone.
Vanity has kicked in and all I’m thinking about is getting fat,having an early menopause,losing my long hair and growing a tache!!
Hi Little H, you did make me laugh - there are some marvellous hair removers these days though!!! Seriously though sorry to hear you’re having down times, but you are special, we all are so you must keep reminding yourself of that. I haven’t had to think too much about chemo as I don’t know if I’ll need it yet, hopefully not but I’ll have to deal with that if and when. I hope your appointment goes okay on Wednesday - remember you’re not alone with all these experienced ladies to help you with advice on your chemo, I can’t help with that but I can keep reminding you that you ARE special!
Hi Piper, Nell and LittleH
Sorry you’re here, but welcome!
Piper, staying positive is the way to go, keep up those walks in the countryside. My reaction when I was told (16 Dec) was a mix of sweary words that the surgeon agreed with, then matter of fact, flippant and jokey, let’s do this then, and lastly a quick few tears before I went home. Then telling myself as I drove home just to concentrate on the road and deal with it when I got back, then once home, shock, disbelief, trying to get my head round it. You know, the stuff we all go through. I’m two months down the line, it’s got a lot easier, and this forum has definitely kept me sane and laughing!
And Nell, you’re absolutely right, one step at a time. I’m on the long haul through 6 months of chemo (second dose coming up on Tuesday), then 6 weeks of rad (no idea why I seem to be the only one on the forum getting 6 weeks of it - maybe I can negotiate it down nearer the time), and tamoxifen for 5 years. Only way to do it is exactly how you say. Keep taking it easy and rest up. I had the same op as you. You should feel pretty good at the two week mark, but it’ll take another 3 or 4 to really heal everything up inside. Keep up the exercises.
LittleH. One thing you are definitely not is alone. Not here. Up and down is how it goes. Just keep telling yourself you’re fighting this and winning. I’ve been doing the chemo for 3 weeks now and it’s no fun in the sun, but it’s definitely do-able. My hair has come out pretty fast (almost all gone) but on the upside, no armpit shaving this summer! I have definitely not got fat, no menopause in sight as yet, and the tache is falling out not growing in. 
Keep smiling, and think about all the shopping you get to do for new hats, funky scarves, jewellery, make up, and let’s not forget the shoes and bags to go with it!
HI piper and everyone, I can relate to what you all are saying. Yesterday was my first real bad day since I have been diagnosed. It reallly struck me what was happening to me. I think becasuse of the MRI nothing was happening and now I want it to happen as quick as possible before I change my mind, but I suppose it will be another waiting game. Piper you asked how I took the news, well my daughter was with me and hubby stayed in the waiting room. I really didn’t think they where going to tell me anything serious was wrong with me so the news hit me like a ton of bricks. My daughter was talking to the consultant asking all these questions and I hadn’t a clue what was going on it was like a dream and I was looking at it from the outside, I think I went into a trance lol after he had finished talking the consultant looked at me and said " how do you feel about the things I have been telling you that need to be done" and my stupid remark was "oh at least I will weigh a bit less " he just lookeed at me. The daftest remark I made ( And I think I have told the ladies this in an another thread ) but it was to the breast care nurse, she asked if there was any thing I needed to know and I said "is there any excersises I can do to get rid of it " lol well my daughter and my husband just looked at me, because the thing is I have mobilty problems so if there was an miracle excersises I couldn’t do them.When we where going home after the shock my husband said I am not being insencertive but what exercises where you going to do, where you going to put tassles on your nipples and swing them around a bit, so that did it after crying with sadness we where crying with laughter lol
Little H your description made me laugh, I am thinking along those lines to, because the thing is, I have been reading lots of posts with people saying there losing weight, since I have been on these tablets they gave me I haven’t stopped eating. I have gone crazy over cereals and full fat milk. I have them in the middle of the night if I cant sleep, and also sweets, mints choc eclairs, liquorice allsorts, just anything in sweeet form, I am going to have crunchy nut cornflakes when I have written this post lol. I will be like the advert for them just eating them anywhere lol So if they dont make haste and do something I will be like some of those people on Jerry Springer, where they have to take the wall of an house down to hoist them in a truck lol
Well Ladies Goodnight and i hope you all havrre a good sleep, I hope I do tonight
Love Heather
xxxxxxx
Hi Heather
Keep up that humour and you will sail through this! I know it’s not easy, I’m being a bit flippant there, but laughing in the face of adversity is what we women do best. :0)
Hi Carole D, Piper and little H, Keeping positive is the ‘thing’ to do, but I think I’ve worn out the word ‘fine’ Everyone around me has been so supportive, especially family and close friends. Talking to complete strangers sometimes is sometimes easier! It takes a lot of energy to keep that brave face on, but I think most of us do it. Talking about ‘hair’ Little H, I wish I’d thought to shave under my armpit before the operation, stupidly thought that they would keep to my boob region, but they ‘explored’ further afield!!! Ahh well no real big deal, except when I took my dressing off, ooooooh!!
Hello ladies, Carole I wish I’d come out with a few ‘sweary’ words when given the news instead of my polite thanks!!! How British of me!
Your post made me laugh again Heather, I don’t feel so bad about my black humour moments now, I’ve always been the same so I don’t suppose BC is going to change my sense of humour, as long as I don’t offend anyone then I shall have to carry on being me…people really WOULD think I was ill if I was any different!
Weird feeling not having to go to work on a Monday morning, I’ve always worked full time so this is a huge change…it’s no good me job hunting at the moment so I think a spot more dog walking may be in order, 4 days and counting - plent of organising to do so plan to keep as busy as possible. Hope everyone is well this morning. x
I hope to always handle problems with diplomacy, tact and professionalism…so it was a total surprise to me, the consultant and the nurse when i told him to stop talking as I had something to say…and i then yelled at him to ‘f off’…to which he sort of muttered, well yes, this is obviously a shock…so i told him to do it again!! i did of course, apologise, and the nurse said she’d heard worse, but it did surprise me that I’d said it!! :-/
Hey Piper, dog walking is an excellent thing! I got through my darker moments at the start of this whole darn process by walking the dogs - also gave me a place to be as weepy as I liked without doing the brave face thing.
Narnia, tourettes run in the family at all? 
Have a good day ladies.
Morning Narnia and Carole, it’s great hearing other peoples experiences, what a life saver this site is. Carole totally agree about being out with the dogs and being able to be sad if I want to, the dogs will soon make me laugh too so they’re a great medicine. Narnia how brave, (and funny!) to say just what you think, I bet you felt better for it too. I think I read one of your posts that you have been treated at the RUH in Bath? That’s where I am, so far very happy with them but early days yet for me.