Hi, I am 42 and found a small lump a week last Sunday, Drs app last Thursday and referral to the Breast care Clinic at the Glenfield Leicester for this Thursday. It seems early to post as I don’t yet have any results and it could well be nothing, but I lost my Mum to complications caused by secondary breast cancer in March this year and she was first diagnosed when she was 43. The irony of it is that losing my Mum absolutely devastated us and I’d been thinking that I should get some counselling as 6 months on I was still feeling terrible. Now I’ve found the lump I think that my fight impulse has kicked in and all I can think is how do I tell my kids who are themselves still coping with their loss as well as the rest of my family? My husband knows and I’m so very lucky to have him but the only other person I’ve told is my boss so I can have the time off work for the clinic. How long do the test results take usually to come back and has anyone any tips on how to help my children , 20 & 17 , cope if it is bad news? Thank you xx
Hi Jayne, I haven’t got any answers for you but we seem to be in kind of the same boat. I’ve got my first appointment at the clinic on Wednesday and I am so scared its going to be bad news. my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer last year so I am terrified I’m also going to have it. I have a large swelling near my armpit and into my breast that really hurts. Have you had your results yet? I really hope you got good news x
I told my family and colleagues when I had the recall from a routine mammogram, but I told them that 9 out of 10 recalls are not cancer. They were then aware there was a potential probelm, which made it easier to tell them when the news was not what I wanted to hear.
Once you have your results, if it is BC, you will also have your treatment plan. You can share this with your family. ie “I have a lump, but it’s going to be removed…” etc This makes it less scary, as you have something to get on with.
Remember that a lot of ladies have come through BC treatment and lived full ‘normal’ lives afterwards. I was amazed how many colleagues’ mothers or friends had been through it years ago. Just because your mother had secondaries, doesn’t mean you will! Treatments are improving all the time. Emphasise this with your ‘kids’!
Good Luck. I hope it is good news, but we are here for you! The waiting is definitely the worst part!! x