On the other side of the world and feeling quite alone!

Hi everyone. I moved to Australia from UK for my husband’s work just two months ago. Everything brilliant until I found a lump in my breast. Have since been for mammogram, ultrasound and core biopsy. Know it’s something solid and not a cyst, but as to whether it is cancer or not - well tomorrow is the day I find out. My husband is being great but I haven’t wanted to contact any friends or family in UK and worry them if it may all turn out to be OK. I used to work as a nurse in England and remembered how many times I recommended ladies to contact BCC, and now it is my turn! Somehow it is very comforting to read about so many others all in this waiting stage, and knowing that we are all just getting through the days as best we can. Good luck to all of you - one way or another we WILL get through this! Penny

Dont feel alone. Always someone here!

I know you are worried Penny but not long now. The waiting is the pits. Is tomorrow still 24hrs away? Try to keep occupied and have some nice long walks to fill the time.
Fingers crossed for you honey.
xxx Vanessa

Penny

Good luck with your appointment today (I hope thats the right day!) I really hope you get good news. I too am a nurse and can remember many a time doing exactly the same prior to my diagnosis, I think it’s worse being a nurse as you tend to have that little bit of knowledge and tend to either diagnose your lump or go into denial and try and ignore it for many months (me…)!

Let us know how you get on.

Lynn x

Penny,

I do hope that you received good news today - rest assured that whatever happens you will never feel alone with the ladies on this web site.

Hope that the summer sun over there isn’t too hot for you - it’s b***** freezing here - all my nasturtiums have turned to jelly and the leaves have finally fallen off the lilac - fortunately the wind isn’t blowing so they are all within easy reach of the tree for me to pick up! See what you are missing?!*?

Best wishes
Maddy xxxxx

Hi Penny

We are all just a keyboard away! I hope everything turns out OK for you. And oh yes the waiting is the worst as there is little you can do to control it.

I can second Maddy, there’s frost on my car and I can’t be bothered to go out and scrape it off so s*d the shopping, they will have to have what’s in the cupboard for tea.
Take care

Carol

Penny

Just want to add my good luck for your appointment - fingers and everything else crosssed for you. Will be hoping youve had good news and dont need to join us here for long.

Take care
Fiona
xx

Hi Penny,

Just wanted to wish you the best and to say i will be thinking of you and have everything crossed.

Val
xx

I’m also a nurse. Will keep my fingers crossed for you and best wishes.

Sandra

P.S there does seem to be a lot of nurses on this forum. I wonder why?

Sandra

It does make you think doestnt it - whether its something to do with all the drugs or something we have been around and handling for years??

mmmmmmmmmm
scary
Fiona
xx

Good luck Penny. Thinking of you.
Take care and let us know what happens.
Anthi x

good luck Penny.

Diane x

Good luck Penny. Let us know how you got on.

Margaret x

Just got up on the morning of ‘results day’ and I can hardly tell you how heartwarming it is to come and see all the messages from you lovely ladies who have taken the time to write to me. It really is brilliant. Feeling very calm at the moment - by the end of this waiting time I had decided that either - if I don’t have cancer I had spent quite enough time already rehearsing every possible scenario and I’ve got to keep in mind that it may be nothing, so I won’t worry about it any more now. On the other hand, if I do have cancer then there will be plenty to deal with after the diagnosis comes, but that is for afterwards. So yesterday was my husband’s birthday, we had a lovely meal on a boat on a lake, talked very openly about what today might bring. I am so lucky to feel so loved and supported. Thank you all - I’ll let you know! Penny

2am here down under! Not great news - grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma. Realised with a shock that my user name appears on the page and is a bit of of give away which is not meant to be, so checking out here and will appear with appropriate new user name on newly diagnosed pages! Good luck ladies and thanks for your support. pennyx

Penny

So sorry the new was not good for you - at least you know now (sorry if that sounds blunt). You will, as you see, get plenty support and advice on here. You have the same as I have grade wise. Do you have a treatment plan yet?

Thinking of you and so glad you have a supportive husband and managed to have a nice day yesterday.

Sending love and hugs
Fiona
x

Hi penny

Really sorry to hear your news. It’s a real shock to begin with but you will gradually come to terms with it - I never thought I would get over that terrible feeling but I very slowly did and once I knew what my treatment plan was I felt calmer and couldn’t wait to start it to get the bad stuff out of my body. I’ve also got grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma like you and Fiona (it has also gone into my lymph nodes under my armpit).

The support you get on this website is fantastic. I didn’t find this website until I was already into my chemotherapy (which was my first line of treatment). I have learnt a lot from it and have received a lot of support as well.

Wishing you well and thinking of you.

Rebz xxx

Hi Penny

I am sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I am sure you will continue to receive lots of helpful advice and support from the other forum users, in addition, you are welcome to contact our freephone helpline on 0808 800 6000 where you are able to talk to someone in confidence about how you are feeling at the moment. The line is open Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm, Saturdays 9am - 2pm

Breast Cancer Care have a Resources Pack which you may find helpful to read, it is filled with information to help you better understand your diagnosis, test results and the various treatments available. You can download it from the following link or you can ask for a copy to be sent to you via the helpline:

breastcancercare.org.uk//content.php?page_id=7514

I hope you find this helpful.

Kind Regards

Lucy
Moderator
Breast Cancer Care

Dear Fiona, Lucy and Rebz, thank you so much for your postings. I just know that being able to “chat” to others in the same situation is going to be a lifesaver (so to speak!). Plan at the moment (as you kindly asked) is liver/bone scans, then either WLE and radiotherapy, or mastectomy (am really going to be needing some advice on which to go for) and then a “two out of three” chance I will need chemotherapy. Just could not sleep last night. After my diagnosis we (my husband and 18 year old daughter) went to a ball (couldn’t waste the money at that price!!) it happened to be to raise money for a breast charity - specifically to provide reduced price wigs for people having chemo. “You never know if tomorrow it might be you” etc etc, quite tough to sit through but had a great dance! The night was not good though, by 5.00 am I was crying and howling and pacing the house like a wounded animal (husband and daughter fast asleep thankfully). Much better day today, have written all the questions I need to ask, and feeling ready to roll! Moving on to another forum now! Penny

Hi again Penny
Will be thinking of you and please do keep us updated.

Rebz xx