Just saw this description in a reply to another post and thought yep! that’s what I’m on!
Found a lump a month ago - not via a screening - just doing my own check. Quite how I hadn’t found it earlier baffles me but … managed to get an appointment with doctor the following day who referred me straight away to the ‘one stop’ clinic. At this point I was terrified tbh. Got an appointment for two weeks later - the first day of the summer holidays (I’m a headteacher) - ah well! Whisked through the clinic very efficiently. Still terrified and not made better by being told they wanted to do a biopsy (everyone had reassured me with: “most lumps aren’t cancerous” and “they’ll probably only do a mammogram”). I asked what type of biopsy - you see I’d done my research- to be told “this isn’t a cyst”. Anxiety levels pretty high at this point, fortunately husband keeping calm. Another biopsy followed and then taken into the ‘quiet room’ - oh, lordy…
I have to say my consultant, my BCN and all the staff have been brilliant. Fast forward to today: 5 appointments later; bone scan yesterday. Finally, putting my ‘hello’ post on here. Tomorrow, I have pre-op assessment for sentinel node biopsy next week plus the marker insertion. Once that’s done neo-adjuvant chemo starts; 6-8 cycles to zap my 2.5cm idc.
Absolutely feel like I’m on a conveyor belt can’t wait (not sure that’s actually the truth) for the treatment to start - surely there’s nothing left to test!!
Hi everyone - I’m 53; have an amazing husband, 2 children - grown-up son and 14 yo daughter - completely not a ‘Pink Flamingo’ but they adorn my notebook lol! Reassured by all the responses on this forum - staying strong:)
Welcome Pinkflamingo, even it’s not a place we thought we’d ever be. There’s loads of support here & between us, we’ve been through everything bc can throw at us.
It certainly does feel like a conveyor belt & it’s a lot to get your head around, but the good ol’ NHS hauls us through.
When you start treatment, do look at the ‘going through treatment’ board, where you will find the monthly chemo threads to chat with others going through similar & further down the line.
Although getting diagnosed is a shock, the most important thing is, it can now be dealt with.
Welcome to the club and sorry you’ve had to join! Much as though new members to the forum are always appreciated!
I thought of it as bit of a rollercoaster…elements of up when treatment has got going, with the odd wheyyyyyy, whoooooo…(plus a few other noises!) until you emerge as a new you off the ride! How you are feeling is totally natural.
I’m now 5 years on and like to give back on the forum since I found so much useful info and support here when I was on the rollercoaster. Like yours, my lump was IDC and a similar size to yours with a small patch of DCIS.
Be kind to yourself and go with the flow.
Loads of us here on the forum, those going through it, and those who have been through it, to give advice and support. Plus the ask a nurse section and of course support on the phone. Plus, in case you are not aware, you can email other members directly if you find someone who can and is happy to help you on a particular issue and don’t want to go into detail on the forum.
i am slightly behind you on the conveyor belt having been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer but still awaiting results for a full diagnosis and treatment plan. How did your pre op assessment go? Next step for me is mri mammogram on Tuesday as my lump didn’t show on my mammogram.
I am trying hard to slow my brain down and get used to the waiting in between tests, appointments etc. I am a real planner so it is hard to adjust to one day at a time. Hope all goes well next week with your biopsy xx