... towards the end of June 2009.
As happens frequently at primary schools the dreaded lergy was doing the rounds. My two children seemed to have avoided it along with myself and my husband. That was until I got up on the Monday and felt a bit queasy. Needless to say I was a bit miffed to still be feeling a bit "off" by the end of the week, usually bouncing back from these things quite quickly ... and was quite unnerved to discover a tinge of yellow in my eyes the next Monday morning. By the following Monday I looked like I was doing a very bad impression of a canary and had grown a hard lump at the top of my breast. I know the lump wasn't there the week before because I'd checked just before I noticed the yellow tinge in my eyes.
Off to the GPs I went .... after checking exactly where the surgery was being such an infrequent visitor! Little did I realise what lay ahead. I'd convinced myself that my canary yellow appearance was due to nothing more alarming than a wedged gallstone (not that I'd ever had them!) and the breast lump would be just one of those things that would go away as quickly as it appeared. Luckily for me my GP wasn't happy to leave me yellow for any length of time and arranged for an ultrasound within days and a two week referral to the breast clinic.
The ultrasound caused concern and I was admitted to the local hospital the next Monday (why is it always a Monday?) for a CT scan and an endoscopy booked for the Tuesday. The endoscopy didn't happen but that's another story for another day. The CT scan was enough and on the Thursday the liver chap mumbled, very apologetically, that it wasn't a stray gallstone it was cancer. Secondary breast cancer to be exact ... "Oh and there are a couple of bits on your lungs". Friday, a rushed appointment with the breast specialist, quick biopsy taken just to confirm they were (officially) right and then a bizarre conversation with a Breast Care Nurse (yet another story for another day!) and an appointment with an oncologist arranged for the Monday.
Where did that come from?? I'm 40, never been ill ... still don't feel ill, maybe a bit less energetic than normal but nothing to worry about and now here I am an official cancer patient who is "manageable" but not curable......
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Dear bad fairy, I am trying to locate your first blog where you first was diagnosed with bca. Maybe there isn't one. I had breast ca. in 2007 but couldn't have chemo. as caught infection but did have radio/1 yr herceptin. I just don't feel right - back pain in right side, aches and general pains and tiredness but no-one knows why. So I always get on the backup site and try to find answers. I just need a kick up the a..e maybe! Anyway, I am enjoying reading your diary and sincerely hope you are coping well and your children are doing just fine.
ReplyDeleteHello Ann, thank you for your comment. This is the only way I can answer your question as I don't receive any contact details for people who post on in the comments section, so please accept my apologies for not sending a more personal email!
ReplyDeleteThis post " The story begins" is the first blog entry. I was first diagnosed with the spread to my liver which was followed a day or so later with confirmation that the breast lump was cancer and the cause of the liver problems. So this really is the start of my story.
I'm sorry to hear that you're suffering aches, pains and tiredness. I can only urge you to keep nagging your doctors until they find some answers, particularly with your recent bca history. It is easy to forget that not everything can be attributed to bca and we do still get "normal" aches and pains too but nevertheless, for your own peace of mind you need to keep chasing the answers.
The Bad Fairies, including the juniors, are all coping very well. I can't find the words to express how proud I am of them all.
Keep well and stay strong,
Bad Fairy x
Hi Bad Fairy, I have just read through your blog. You are such an inspiration to anyone going through cancer treatment. Much love and health to you xx
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