Hi my name is Heather and I was diagnosed on Tuesday and I am really scared at the minute. I have other health issues and I have got to have a MRI on my Brain next Thursday so I cant have my breast removed until they have the results of the MRI.I have been looking on this site since Tuesday but too scared to post but I thought here goes, and here I am lol It has helped reading some of the posts.I hope posting on here and reading posts helps me to fight this thing,
Heather
Hi Heather,
Sorry you have had to join this forum, but you will get a lot of help and advice. I was very afraid when I joined up here, but have had lots of help, as the first few weeks are so difficult to get through. I was diagnosed on 23rd December, had a mascetomy on 7th January and then got results on 21st January.Just waiting for results of scans etc. The waiting is the worse, but with the ladies on here will all help you through. I also have other health issues, had to have a MRI on my brain last year.Feel free to chat at any time Heather, someone will always be here.
love Jan x
Hi Heather
You’re in the worst possible place at the moment and I can promise you that it will get easier.
I remember being where you are last May and i had a lot of very dark thoughts. My head was all over the place. When I got my results after surgery and was told that I would need chemo, rad and hormone therapy it seemed like I was in a very dark tunnel with no light at the end. BUT by concentrating on my next appointment/treatment and not looking too far ahead, I was soon over chemo and ‘looking forward’ to rads(and the end of treatment). I finished rads this week and looking back it has gone very quickly and I am now planning for the future.
You will get over this although it seems a long way off now.
Mal
Oh thank you so much ladies for replying to my post, it has made me feel like there is someone there. I have read lots of the other posts and I must have looked at this site about 20 times since Tuesday. Shall I tell you abit about me, I am in my late fifties, I use to be a hairdresser, but when I went back to work after spilting up with my first husband, I went to work in an elderly persons home, were I started off as a cleaner and ended up head cook lol Anyway enough about that, I have married again to the most lovely man, who without him these last few years I think I would have been asking myself whats the point. But with each knock he has pulled be back up, I have 2 children of my own and 3 step children and 5 grandchildren. Has you can probably gather I talk a lot lol and am a bit scatty, and I love to laugh, and even if these last few days have been some of my darkest days some where there is a laugh.
Anyway ladies I hope you dont mind me burdening myself onto you sometimes, because it is oh so good reading posts about people who have been where I am now, and Thank you so much Jan and Mal for replying.
Love Heather
xx
Hi Heather
Welcome and I’m sorry we’re meeting in these circumstances. The early days are hard, waiting to know what’s going to happen and when. I’m only a few weeks down the line and that sense of shock and devastation does recede. It doesn’t entirely go away (well, maybe it does but I’m not there yet) but once treatment starts and you feel as if you are moving forwards towards fighting this thing it gets easier to deal with.
I hope the MRI comes back ok and you can start your battle soon. Meanwhile keep talking - we’re all here going through it with you.
Gennie x
Hello Heather
Sorry that you have had to join us, but believe me you will find lots of friends here who all know just what you are going through.
The waiting is the hardest part. When decisions have been made about your treatment you will feel a bit more in control of what is happening. The shock will be replaced by acceptance and you will find it in yourself to fight.
I am an older lady who has 3 grown up girls and 5 grandchildren - they keep you going. I was DX last August and because of the nature of my Breast Cancer I have had to have my chemo first. I am scheduled for surgery next month. The last few months have sometimes seemed like a lifetime but with all the hospital visits and tests, on other days the months have gone in a flash.
You will have so many questions - Just Ask. There will be someone on here who will have asked the same questions, we will help all we can
Take Care
LOL
Andie
Hi Heather,
It’s good to see that your fellow forum users are supporting you through this, they have a wealth of knowlege and experience between them which I know they will be only too willing to share with you.
You may be interested in obtaining BCC’s resource pack, it’s an A5 folder full of useful information to help you along. To obtain a free copy, just follow the link below and one will be posted out to you.
Resource pack: breastcancercare.org.uk/server/show/conPublication.82
If you feel you need to talk to someone in confidence then please do phone the helpline, again this is a free service (as are all BCC’s publications and services). The lines are open Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm and Saturday 9am - 2pm. 0808 800 6000
Hope this helps, kind regards,
Jo, Facilitator
Thank you ladies once again,love the pictures,I will get hubby to try to put a pic on of me if we can. what I find so helpful coming on this site is you ladies know what I am going through, don’t get me wrong my family are wonderful and I can talk to them about anything, but nobodsy knows what I am going through at the minute. You ladies have been there, or are at the same stage, and there are so many things I want to know. The diagnosis came as a complete shock to me, I have been having mammograms for a few years, and after every one I had to go back to the breast cancer clinic,and every time they would examine me again then say " thats ok everything is fine". So when the letter came this time I wasn’t at all bothered. But this time it was different, the nurses and the doctors acted differently. I had to wait a week for the result, and it was a long week, then when I went back they asked me to go to the office and the breast care nurse was there and the doctor. My daughter was with me and hubby sat in the waiting room, and I took one look and I knew it was bad news. Now I am waiting again and all things are going round in my head, will they get rid of it all, how will I feel with just one breast. I keep thinking of stupid things like I will have to get rid of some of my clothes. I am dreading the MRI because I am claustrophobic (excuse spelling lol) but I have to have it done or I cant have the breast op. Anyway ladies I wont bore you any more with stupid things, and thank you so much for listening to me going on.
take care
Heather
Hi Heather,
I don’t know my way around this new site very well,so you will have to excuse any mistakes I make.When I first found this site(well my son actually) I did not want to do anything, but he started talking to people for me,and relaying the messages to me. He eventually persuaded me to come on here and take a look. (so glad I did) I had my left breast removed on 7th January and all lymph nodes. The night before I was already to run away to Scotland (I live in Devon) so scared, but eventually managed to get myself there,crying all the way and found it wasen’t as bad as I’d thought it would be, had op on the Thursday and home the next day,a little bit sore but ok. I know what you mean about the MRI, I play a game in my head, with eyes shut, start with fruit and go through alphabet naming fruit beginning with that letter ie- A =Apricot B=Banana and so on. Let me know if you can find a fruit starting with (i and z) A little bit about myself, I am 53 have 2 sons, age 31 and 27 (no grandchildren yet) I live in Plymouth Devon and been married for 32 years. We are all going through what you are feeling at the moment,( I am still very emotional about everything and very worried like you. The ladies on here are all lovely and will help you all the way. Keep in contact Heather, we are all thinking of you.
love Jan xx
Hi Heather.
Sorry you’ve had to join us here. I was diax on 15th Dec & still waiting for my op’. A lumpectomy with clear margin & sentinel lymph node removed. Compared to everyone else I seem to be waiting for ages (seems that way) but as I live in Spain I don’t really know the procudure here & you know the Spanish, Manana, manana.
This is a great site if you have any questions there is always someone who knows the answer. You can become very attached to each other as we are all in the same boat & where as the outside world may not understand our fears & worries we all do, so don’t be worried about crying on our “shoulders”,we aint heavy we’re your sisters!!!
Let me know how it goes.
Maggie xx
Good luck
hi heather - I’ve just had lumpectomy and node sampling too - this wed - and the wiating about is so hard…take care, mary x
Hi Heather
Just thought I’d join in and say sorry to hear about your dx and all the best of luck for the MRI. I was diagnosed 7 years ago this month and I can remember that time like it was yesterday - the first evening me and my husband downed a few bottles of wine and I thought my time was up, but I’m still here! I was 42 at the time and my youngest daughter was just 2 years. I had all the tests: bone scan liver scan etc and each one that came back clear was a step up. Once all the tests came back, luckily my diagnosis was DCIS but as it was in three places I had to have a mastectomy. Last year I had an MRI scan as they thought my implant had ruptured (which it had and I’ve had to have another op). I was petrified of having the MRI and I heard all sorts of stories, but I found it OK, and I’m clastrophobic. The staff at Mount Vernon were fantastic. I hope it all goes well. Lots of luck.
Thank you ladies for your support.
Carolec, loved reading your post saying how long ago you was first diagnosed, that really makes me realise I have to be positive.I think I am dreading the MRI more than the mastectomy, I said to my daughter I was going to lie down,put a box over my head and get hubby to time it, but she thought that was a silly idea lol will be so glad when its over.
Are you having your operation done in Spain Maggie ? at least you will have some nice sunshine to recover, we have got snow lol
Mary thankyou for your message.
Jan I have read now you’ve already had the operation, just hope your feeling ok.
Well thank you ladies once more for your support.
Heather
xxxx
Hi Heather
I actuallly have an appointment for an MRI tomorrow. It will be my third since august and to honest at the beginning I really did not like the idea at all. Having been there now I find the main problem is not being in the tube but the noise! Beware- it is very noisy in shortish bursts. Where I have mine they do offer you earphones and a choice of music which does detract a bit but the noise is still there. although you are on your own the technicians can and do speak to you.
My overnight worry now will be how do I get to the hospital, we already have a large amount of snow and the hospital is across country. Fingers crossed that the main roads are well gritted.
Let us know how you get on
LOL Andie
Hi Everyone, well my MRI tommorow and I am really dreading it,Jan I will try to play the fruit game like you suggested, I will let you know if I come across any that beging with I or Z I just hope I manage to stay there lol
Andie how did your MRI go did you manage to get there ok? hubby said about it being really noisey, and to try and make a little tune in my head, The only song I can think of at the moment is "I want to get out of this place " by Zombies wow I am showing my age now lol
Well Ladies I will report back tomorrow
love Heather
xxxx
Hi Heather
I was unable to get to the hospital for the MRI on Monday because of the awful weather. They did reschedule for Wednesday but then really excelled themselves by arranging to do it after the ultra sound that I had scheduled for yesterday- tuesday.
While I was in the MRI machine yesterday I did think of you and tried to analize how I was coping with the noise. and being enclosed. I close my eyes as soon as the table moves into the machine. Then I sort of listen to the music but I also think very hard about all sorts of things, mainly yesterday dinner, the fact that the schools were all closed,the awful road conditions that we had encountered and life in general and I sort of manage to go into a sort of dream world like just before you drop off to sleep at night.
It really is just a short space of time that you will find the courage to cope with because you have to.
LOL Andie xx
Hi Andie thankyou for your support,I am hoping mine isn’t cancelled tommorow because they have forcast bad snow here again. I dont think I am going to sleep much tonight, probably If I dont sleep tonight I will prbably drop off tomorrow in the machine, I bet my snoring is as loud has the machine lol That is one thing thst bothers me about going into hospital if I am in a big ward I will keep them awake with my snoring lol I know I will snore I always have done since my nose got broke, and I snore worse if I am stressed, I bet your just glad your not sharing a ward with me lol
I spoke to my breast cancer nurse today because I really need to know when they are going to take this horrible thing away, and she said if everything is ok after tomorrow it will be soon afterwards. I dont know if everybody feels like this, but i dont want the operation, but I really want to get rid of the cancer, I told the breast nurse today I feel like cutting it out myself, but I dont think thst is a good idea lol
Anyway I suppose patience is a virtue
Take care
Love Heather
xx
Hi Heather
How did it go - the MRI i mean. I was thinking of you
LOL Andie
Hi Andie it wasn’t to bad !!! lol I took a cd with mine and hubbys wedding music on, and the second track was Van Morrison, ans the lady spoke to me through the microphne and asked if I could stop tapping my feet lol I did start to panic a bit half way through, but I spoke to myself and said if you dont do this they cant start the treatment. They had to bring me out after about 15 mins to give me an injection so they could see the blood flow to my brain, but I thought that was a bonus they have found a brain lol Anyway i didn’t open my eyes, I closed my eyes before they put that cage thing over my face and I didn’t open them till they had actualy finished. Now I just have to wait for to here from the breast care team.
Take care
love Heather
xxxxxx
Hi Heather
Well done!!. The worst bit of all this BC is the waiting for results and appointments. Once the treatment has actaully started you will feel more in control and you will know that something is being done.
We have woken up to more snow this morning, hope it clears up over the weekebd I have to be at the hospital very early on Monday morning.
What part of the country are you in, are you haveing to deal with snow as well
Take Care
LOL
Andie xx