Hi All!

I hope everyone managed to get at least a little bit of respite from the fear and anxiety this weekend.

Vicki - how was the beach hut? Hope that fresh air did the trick for you.

Take care of yourselves xx

I took the kids to the cinema on Saturday, and then had my sons 4th birthday party on Sunday. So I've managed to keep quite well distracted!! 
 

The breast clinic just called, and they've moved my results appointment to 9:40 on Thursday, instead of 11:40. So at least I don't have to worry all morning. It will be school run, then appointment!! Praying for benign results!! Xxx

I know. Absolute star. Xx

Thank you. That's really encouraging to hear. I will have a drain in because of the implant but i'll try and do laps around the ward ASAP!! I'm in overnight so will be packing some ear plugs and taking all the drugs the offer me. :happy: 

x

Thank you so much xx

Really sorry to hear you had covid. Hope you are feeling better now 

Are you waiting for another surgery? And have they said that having had covid will delay this? My husband has tested positive today. He's now banished to the bedroom to try (probably in vain) to stop me from getting it. Am due surgery on 7th April which has already been delayed cos surgeon had covid!

It's tough enough isn't it without throwing covid into the mix!

Hope you have a good rest of the weekend! Sending best wishes xx

Just had a call from the hospital to cancel my surgery for tomorrow as surgeon has Covid. I am so upset and angry - have been waiting 3 months and put my life on hold for the past 2 weeks - missing out on so many things with my kids and farming them out to other people. Had a melt down yesterday as I'm on the edge and now feel like I'm not going to have the surgery at all. I just can't take any more of this stress.

Hi Bubblesmum. 

I am so sorry this has happened to you. The waiting and expectation then being let down so late in the day must be horrific.

We're they are to give you a new date?

Sending hugs and best wishes xx

Oh Bubblesmum I'm so sorry to read this.

I totally get how you are feeling, you must be devastated. I had my surgery last Friday and that was all I thought about - not getting Covid, or the surgeon.  I'm sure it was only by luck that I managed to get it done.  I'm just so sorry.

I know I'd be on that phone daily to the appointments clerk or secretary demanding to know when they can give you a date.  In my mind this shouldn't be happening - Covid happens but they should have a back up surely.

Try to stay calm in the knowledge that there will be no harm in another week or so and you can get this done.  Thinking of you.  M x

So sorry to hear this. As said, they should have some back up. I've got my PCR on Friday ready for Monday and waiting to hear something or not is so difficult. Then also the worry of the surgeon getting it :confused:

I do hope you get your date soon and you can start to move forward. Thinking of you x

Hi Bubblesmum,

I am just checking to see if you got your surgery and how you are!

I have read this whole thread form when Mary started it, for the last hour or so. I feel like i have got to the end of a good book.... only to realise that it's not actually the end! I want to know how everyone is doing!!

I googled about wait times for biopsies of microcalcifications and this was the first thing I clicked on. I'm fed up of playing the waiting game now  

I went to see my GP on 7th Nov 2021 as I was concerned about my right boob - it was achy, tender and had changed shape a little - my nipple had changed direction, He said he would refer me for a mammogram. I had the Mammogram on 14th November 2021  The radiologist sowed me the image of the right breast and pounded out an area which looked pretty much like a pea, she explained it was a cluster of microcalcifications deep into my breast. As I'm 53 she asked when and if I'd had a routine screening mammo, which I had  She told me they would request the image from the Breast Screening service and if it was a new thing I would be having a biopsy but if it was present on my last one then I wouldn't require a biopsy, I saw the consultant who echoed her explanation. I left the hospital somewhat bemused but at the same time relieved that the hospital was being thorough. 
With Xmas looming, I tried as best I could to push it to the back of my mind and on the whole managed to achieve just that as I was busy with the fledgling business my middle Daughter and I started in October. Xmas came and went..... then New Year  I'll admit that when my Daughters were all asking if I'd heard anything from the hospital every day, I was saying 'No news is good news, if it was anything of concern they would have contacted me by now'. That said, by mid January I was starting to think I should have heard something either way. I found the number for the breast screening service for my area and called them  I asked how long it would take if a hospital requested a copy of a mammogram I'd had with them - the answer - Immediately! The lady I spoke to explained that if it was requested via email it would be sent straight over in a couple of clicks, it it was via a phone call, they'd receive it within a minute of the call ending! She gave me the the information i needed to check with the hospital if they had requested the mammo in the correct way - email, telephone number & extension, she was so lovely bless her. Next call was the Consultants Secretary, she took the information and said she would call me back - she didn't  Anyway, this frustrating game of tennis with my right boob lasted 3 weeks. I eventually received a letter from another hospital with a biopsy appointment for 7th March! Long story short (kind of as it is already a long post!) it is now the 3rd of April and despite being told the results could take 2-3 weeks as the lab is backed up - I'm still waiting!

Reading through this inspirational thread, everyone has said the waiting is the worst part, in my case it most certainly is. On the 7th April, it will be exactly 5 months since my GP made the referral and I am still non the wiser. Im glad I found this thread containing the intricacies, twists and turns, ups and downs of each individual journey.

I so hope you and the other ladies on this thread are doing well

Hugd

Dee

Hi Dee,

Welcome to this thread.  I'm so sorry to read that your journey has been such a long one, and that you are still non the wiser.  It just doesn't seem fair that you have been kept in limbo like this.  It must have been very difficult and you sound as if you have been very strong.  That's a big achievement in itself.  You're right, it's the waiting that's the worst.

I had my biopsy done a week after they found the calcifications.  That was because mine were graded as indeterminate which is mid way between being ok and being dodgy!  It all depends on how the calcifications look on the mammogram, shape, clustered etc.  Apparently once they are spotted the radiographer can grade how risky they are, or not, and many calcifications can be benign.  They are very common I've learned.  Anything that is indeterminate or above is always biopsied.  I wonder whether the delay with you is because your calcifications were deemed to look very low risk?  You can phone the clinic and ask how they were originally graded.   If they weren't on your last mammogram (mine weren't) then they will biopsy as they won't have an image of the calcifications to compare. 

Covid has hit waiting times but I now think that's a very weak excuse.  My clinic seems to be catching up, and whilst busy, I've never had more than 3 weeks to wait for biopsy results.  I think you deserved more prompt answers than you have had.   I had delays as I got a second opinion on my pics as they found another area of calcifications and I had to have another biopsy and surgery was cancelled.  Half term hit and before you know 3 weeks can pass!  Despite those delays my consultant told me we were still within the guidelines of 12 weeks which is the acceptable timescale at our trust to diagnose and treat breast cancer.  It seems to me that your wait of 5 months is a stretch too far. 

I wish you well and hope you get some good news when you finally get your results.  There is every chance you will.

Take care.  Mary

Hi Dee,

Welcome to this thread.  I'm so sorry to read that your journey has been such a long one, and that you are still non the wiser.  It just doesn't seem fair that you have been kept in limbo like this.  It must have been very difficult and you sound as if you have been very strong.  That's a big achievement in itself.  You're right, it's the waiting that's the worst.

I had my biopsy done a week after they found the calcifications.  That was because mine were graded as indeterminate which is mid way between being ok and being dodgy!  It all depends on how the calcifications look on the mammogram, shape, clustered etc.  Apparently once they are spotted the radiographer can grade how risky they are, or not, and many calcifications can be benign.  They are very common I've learned.  Anything that is indeterminate or above is always biopsied.  I wonder whether the delay with you is because your calcifications were deemed to look very low risk?  You can phone the clinic and ask how they were originally graded.   If they weren't on your last mammogram (mine weren't) then they will biopsy as they won't have an image of the calcifications to compare. 

Covid has hit waiting times but I now think that's a very weak excuse.  My clinic seems to be catching up, and whilst busy, I've never had more than 3 weeks to wait for biopsy results.  I think you deserved more prompt answers than you have had.   I had delays as I got a second opinion on my pics as they found another area of calcifications and I had to have another biopsy and surgery was cancelled.  Half term hit and before you know 3 weeks can pass!  Despite those delays my consultant told me we were still within the guidelines of 12 weeks which is the acceptable timescale at our trust to diagnose and treat breast cancer.  It seems to me that your wait of 5 months is a stretch too far. 

I wish you well and hope you get some good news when you finally get your results.  There is every chance you will.

Take care.  Mary