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Newly diagnosed breast cancer

Maria2252
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Hi everyone 5 years ago I was diagnosed with bowel cancer and had chemo before and after surgery. I managed to tolerate the chemo with a struggle and I was left with peripheral neuropathy in my hands and feet (a small price to pay as it saved my life). I recovered well and was just about to be signed off when I was hit with another hard blow ....... I have been diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer and I have my 1st oncology appointment for this on Wednesday to discuss my chemo which I have to get before my surgery. I am still in shock and disbelief that this can be happening to me all over again. If I'm honest I'm so frightened at the thought of more chemo and it's side effects than I am of having the surgery. There is so much going on in my life just now, my daughter has had several mini strokes, my brother and my ex-husband have terminal cancer and my son is suffering with severe mental health issues. I am trying to stay positive but truthfully I am an emotional wreck and want to scream but instead I find myself secretly crying in the bath so as not to upset my family and cause them more stress. Just need some reassurance and someone to talk to. Thanks Maria 2252

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    Hi @Maria2252, 

    Welcome to our forum and you are in the right place and chat with real strangers who understand of how you feel because we are in the same situation. Sorry to hear that you had a hard times dealing with all health problems with your family.  I know it’s not easy coping with the bad news that we have cancer especially if you found out that you have another cancer to face.  I’ve been through that 3 months ago when after a week of my routine mammogram every 3 years I got a recall letter to repeat mammogram as they found something in the breasts.

    After the second mammogram the nurse assisted me and we went straight to the other room for ultrasound. The consultant found a lump in my left breast but it looks like gel so nothing to worry about that. To my right breast she found a solid lump which is cancer. 

    After a week I went back to the breast clinic to see my oncology and it was confirm a .7mm grade 1 breast cancer and I was scheduled for operation/lumpectomy in 16-12-2020. After the operation we got the final result. .7mm grade 1 invasive ductal carcinoma, no LVI, lymph node negative 0/4, clear margin, ER 8/8 HER2 negative. So no more operation only 5 sessions of radiotherapy and it’s all done last week. I am now recuperating after the radiotherapy treatment. Now I started to my long journey of “5 years contract” taking Tamoxifen. 

    2020 was a bad year for me. 6-01-2020 I had 2 operation gall bladder removed and Hernia. Finish it of by the end of 2020 December lumpectomy with breast cancer. It was really a hard times coping with all these health problem.

    But believe me, you passed the first bowel cancer and there is no point you cannot get through this. Don’t panic, just think positive. You are in good hands and I’m sure your oncologists’ team are very thorough and they are going to treat you any possible treatment base on your diagnosis. I can feel your pain. You are in the right place, this is our support group. There are a lot of lovely ladies here you can talk to if you need someone to chat with.

    Good luck to your next appointment with your oncology. Hope everything goes well with your treatment plan. Please keep posting and let us know how you get on. I am here if you need some opinion. 

    Best regards,

    LL2011

     

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