Hi i am new to the forum but what a great support when you need it most. My story is as follows, I am 63 years old and nearly 2 weeks ago I went for my 3 yearly routine mammogram, my 5th the other 4 being clear. Last Saturday I received a call back letter which was a complete shock. My appointment was last Wednesday and I had another mammogram, scan and biopsies taken. The problem is very small but the Dr did say that she thinks its cancer which has terrified me. I could not feel the lump and neither could the Dr as it is so small mm in size. I have to go back for the results this coming Thursday and am dreading it but I know they are going to say its cancer. I was also told that had it not been found it would have been 2 or 3 years until I would have been able to feel it. My head is all over the place and am not sleeping well or able to eat much as the thought of it makes me feel sick. My family are being very supportive but I still feel alone. How do others cope with times like this?
Hi Libby, waiting for results is the hardest part of the process and full of emotions. Just try and keep busy and do some of the things you enjoy to try and take your mind off your results day. It’s not easy I know. You sound like you have good support from your family but we do try and shield them to protect them so yes it does feel lonely. You’ve done the right thing coming on here as there are people that totally understand and have been through the same emotional roller coaster. Keeping everything crossed for you that you get good results. Kerry x x
Your story sounds identical to where I was one year ago. And I am OK now - mostly. The worst bits are the waiting, the not knowing and imagining the worst - and I can’t pretend that I don’t still have middle of the night worries. But you will be surprised by how manageable it is once you know exactly what you are facing. And this forum is hugely supportive. Good luck! Love Eileen x
Hi Libby, your story is similar to mine & mine was confirmed as a small cancer on the biopsy (which doesn’t mean that yours is cancer)…BUT once I had spoken to the consultant and had it all explained to me I felt a lot better. He said to me ‘this will not be a problem’ and I completely believe him. Mine is about 1 cm & I’m having it removed on 20th May.
I am coping by remembering this is a small cancer & thank God it was picked up on mammagram. Yes it’s daunting knowing I have to have surgery & then treatment but we live in an age where this can be dealt with. Believe me you will feel better after seeing the consultant even if it is cancer.
Take care & remember you are not alone. Many, many women on here going through, or have been through the same thing.
Pat x
Hi Libby, I can see you have had plenty of support from the lovely ladies here already but just wanted to add that they don’t always get it right, they were certain mine would come back clear but it didn’t and I was diagnosed with a small area of cancer, it was removed and I had Radiotheraphy and that was that, I know it’s really frightening when you hear the word cancer and your mind will be full of worse case scenarios but it really isn’t like that for the majority and is very treatable, please try not to rush ahead , just focus on getting to results day and nothing beyond for now, it’s so much easier on your nerves to deal with little chunks at a time! All the best for Thursday Xx Jo
Hi libby, sorry thd result is not what you would have wanted but good that you have a plan in place. I had a wire inserted and apart from the local stinging like when they biopsy it was fine x
I had the same Libby and never felt a thing, its quite strange having a wire hanging out of your chest like an ariel but gave us a chuckle! I just went with the flow on op day and tried not to think about what was actually happening! Hubby was a great help keeping me occupied and i recovered really well , you will be just fine! Xx
Libby im a year from diagnosis now and just had my 1st all clear mammogram, i finished Radiotheraphy in June last year. A lumpectomy is quite a common practice and they remove the sentinal nodes for testing , the amount depends on where your lump is as it will drain to different nodes but its generally 2 or 3 Xx
Libby are you using the forum on your phone? The full site doesnt come up automatically if you are and you cant access your messages xx
Libby you have only recently been diagnosed and are going to have plenty of wobble days still, its an enormous thing to have to come to terms with no matter how good your prognosis is, no its not easy to imagine you can move on and put it behind you but you do get through and life does begin to return to normal , i dont think i will ever be quite the same again but im happy and healthy and that will do for me!! XX