Hey [@Debbie5kids]‍ can’t imagine what you must be going through, I really do hope whatever it may be it is nothing serious. 

My appointment for a sigmoidoscopy was unfortunately cancelled and not even rearranged, and was told it may be months before anything is done. So not doing well with the anxiety at the moment. 

Glad you have work, it will hopefully keep you busy.

Hi Sabr

Thanks for replying. That must be awfully worrying for you. I hope they manage to get somewhere set up for endoscopies soon. This virus is leaving everyone else in limbo, it's terrible.

Concentrate on anxiety relief and hopefully we will het through this and get the answers whether they're the ones we want or not.

Lots of love and support

Debbie xx

Hi Debbie

This must be really worrying for you. I am thinking of you.

I am 41, single parent with children aged 14 and 11. Family abroad. Partner and I don't live together.

I found something under my breast about six weeks ago. It wasn't long after getting the Mirena coil fitted and I thought it could be related to that - hormonal changes and all that. Two weeks later it was still there and I asked my partner to check it and she could feel it too. I went to the GP who felt something and said she wasn't overly worried as the edges felt smooth and it was probably a cyst. But she explained all breast lumps have to be referred and so a hospital apt was made for two weeks later.

I went to my appointment, alone, on April 15th. I felt stupid and thought I was wasting everyone's time. I had a physical examination, a mammogram, a scan and biopsy with three samples taken from the lump.

The consultant told me she is worried and it looks like cancer. She said it doesn't look like something I will die from but that I am looking at a few rubbish months ahead.

the rumour is 13mm in size, which I'm told is quite small and lucky that I found it early. The scan did not show anything in the lymph nodes.

The consultant and nurse told me they would normally do surgery and hormone therapy if I'm suitable, but due to COVID I could be put on hormone therapy for the foreseeable future until it is safe to operate.

a telephone appointment was booked for the biopsy results on 22nd April. The consultant confirmed she expects the results to confirm that it is cancer.

ywsterday I received a letter inviting me to a face to face appointment on 22nd April, with a different time to the telephone appointment. I hope it is a mistake as the letter was sent on the day of my biopsy and I can't see they would have had results so quickly. I'm going to phone tomorrow to clarify.

i am due to change jobs on the 27th - key worker to key worker so still working. The uncertainties over treatment and side effects mean I don't know if I'm doing the right thing. The new job is with the police and was subject to medical clearance (which I passed at the time the job was offered) so it's all a bit scary.

Hi, the biopsy was taken from the dimpled side of left breast. Yes the apptnis for biopsy results.

Love debbie x

Hi Izzy,

I will be thinking of you the day after mine and will let you know how I get on. I have 5children and am married and work as a community nurse so i am already worrying about my job if i had to have any treatment that affected my immune system. It's so hard. I just want tuesday here so that i know what I'm up against. The wait is awful.

Best of luck

Debbie xx

Do let know how you get on. The wait is really hard.

i talked to my partner last night and we've been really good during covid and not seeing each other at all (she had a shielding letter) but she's offered to come over on Wednesday for my results which I know isn't the right thing to do but I feel so alone.

I've spoken to my family but they're in France and can't do much - I regret even telling them. My children are just ignoring me and playing on video games - they're not being nasty, that's what they usually do. They're just not being particularly supportive when I feel like curling into a ball and do nothing and there's so much housework that needs doing. To be fair I have played it down to them and they don't think anything is going to change.

i am terrified of the diagnosis, the side effects of the treatment, leaving a job with a good salary and guarantees sick pay to a lesser paid one with limited sick pay.

and not getting the treatment I need because of covid. I've emailed my MP as we keep hearing about these cancer hubs but nothing has been mentioned locally at all.

Hi Deb,

What an awful time you're having of it. 

You work in the NHS and know the score. At the moment advice is changing all the time and there is a ground swell of opinion that some Trusts have over-reacted and have closed down too many services too quickly which will have minimum impact on the Covid-19 response but will be putting other patients under undue stress and unnecessary risk.

I'd hate to even try to second guess your consultant's motives but it may well be that your local Trust has decided that they are through the peak of the pandemic in your area and are starting to re-open more services. This may be especially true if you're being treated in a specialist cancer centre, rather than at a general hospital. 

I realise that none of this will help ease your anxieties (or Izzy's) but hospital admissions for Covid-19 do seem to be reducing slightly in some areas (they certainly are at the hosital where I'm currently working), which is cause for hope for everyone awaiting diagnosis and treatment for anything non-Covid19 related. 

Good luck for Tuesday!
Dave

Dave, I've just read your bio. What a journey.

It's so lovely of you to be now supporting others on here.

Thank you for the info regarding wards reopening - that is interesting and may explain a few things.

Take care.

Hi Debbie

how are you feeling today?

Just wanted to update you with my own scenario. I just phoned the hospital to query my appointments (having been told telephone appointment Wednesday and now face to face). They have checked with the consultant and they want to see me face to face.

i do hope tomorrow goes well for you. I will be thinking of you.

Izzy