Hi Soph! Lovely to speak to you... if only through rubbish circumstances. Can you please tell me how your dog helped?! I’m so intrigued!! I would love to know... my (mums dog) knows when I’m upset but I don’t think she can diagnose cancer! Haha. So good you were seen so quickly. I was upset as it took weeks and weeks of me pushing to be seen. Thank goodness. So unlike me. I guess I just knew? It’s all so weird. I felt the lump so suddenly- but my initial surgeon told me ‘it was possibly there for years’. Given the latest info I have I’m not so sure- so thank gosh i made a fuss. But anyway it all worked out. Not sure if I’ve updated here. But I have a high onco score and also BRCA2 meaning the cancer might be more of a pain to get rid of and has a good chance of coming back. I only found out in the last week or two which means my chemo will be much longer and with added drugs. But that’s okay. It’s got to be done. I need to get this right first time as I don’t want to do this again. Having said that... so far so good. I have tolerated my first bit of chemo well. But now heading on to weekly chemo of a difference type with another added drug in every 3rd week so we shall see! This also means oncologist/geneticists are keen for double mastectomy as I have a high risk of getting it again (they pretend not to endorse it, it’s my choice, but they seem keen and the evidence agrees and so do I). I will likely need ovaries etc out in a few years when I know if I want kids. Luckily I have a fab boyfriend I met in uni and we have been together 9 years almost and he just takes it all in his stride. He is so relaxed sometimes it upsets me but he is just like that. He won’t discuss the future- all he wants is for me to be better now; which is lovely. I don’t really know what to say to you other than I almost now feel ‘grateful’ that I have a dodgy gene- and it explains my dad’s cancer too. I just worry for family and my little bro. And therefore I feel almost bad that you don’t have a gene.... as it means you don’t have an explanation. I was so angry and confused being one of the handful of women under 30- I’m so fit and healthy! But I have a reason now. Does that sound awful? I have an explanation beyond my control. And you don’t. And i can’t imagine how difficult that must be. Will you let me know if you mange to get a double mastectomy? I guess if you don’t have the gene then this is just a horrible stroke of luck for you and they don’t feel the need to do mastectomy on the other. Which makes sense but I know the fear. I would feel the same but I guess you have to weigh it all up. Ps. If the cancer has shrunk to almost nothing- why the need for mastectomy and not just removal of the tissue?? I hope to hear from you soon and best of luck with the final chemo. Fingers crossed you can move on and forget 2020 every happened! Dee Xx