Project manager, homemaker, mum and currently having treatment for breast cancer
May 18 - referred to breast clinic by GP having realised that the lump in my breast wasn’t ‘just boobs not returning to normal after breast feeding my daughter’. Had mammograms, biopsies of lump in right breast and lymph nodes
June 18 - told I had breast cancer: grade 2 ductal carcinoma which is strongly oestrogen and progesterone positive. The lump in my breast was hormone triggered cancer, but lymph nodes clear.
June / July 18 - CT scan, Bone Scan and full body MRI scan to check if the cancer had spread elsewhere, thankfully not.
July 18 - Tamoxifen
July to September - 3 rounds of EC, every 3 weeks. Opted for the cold cap (it was painful but for me it worked and was worth it)
October to December 18 - 3 rounds of Docetaxel, every 3 weeks
December 18 - started taking Tamoxifen again
January 19 - mastectomy, right breast and some lymph nodes. Without reconstruction, was advised against it due to the size of the lump and also possible effect of radiotherapy.
February 19 - after a good recovery from surgery I had a bad infection, which started with redness, high temperature and sickness followed by exhaustion and a bad seroma which needed the fluid draining twice a week. Recovered with lots of rest and antibiotics. Because of the swelling the start of radio therapy was delayed
March - second, but minor infection with some redness and seroma. Recovered with more rest and more antibiotics.
Now ... Started radiotherapy yesterday, with 15 sessions in total. Currently expecting that I’ll want reconstruction in 12 months time