Hi. My mother and both grandmothers had breast cancer later in life. I am 51 years old and menopausal.
About a month ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer following my first mammogram. Following biopsy, I was told I have grade 2 microcalcifications but that the tumour was very small. Before I went into surgery I had two bits of good news (I think!) a) that the biopsy had taken away most of the tumour and b) that ultrasound found no evidence of spread to the lymph nodes. I had my surgery last week together with sentinal node biopsy. I had to have a wire put in to the tumour to allow the surgeon to see it - there were some problems getting the wire in the right place as there wasn’t much of the tumour left. After the surgery, the surgeon told me that they only took one lymph node away. I now have to wait for THREE WHOLE WEEKS for my results. It isn’t easy - my emotions are all over the place. I don’t know how worried I should be.
I am a health psychologist who does research in psycho-oncology but I think this is a case of too much knowlege being a dangerous thing - I am obsessively searching the internet for medical research and alternating between being relieved and being scared out of my wits.