Looks like I have breast cancer - would appreciate advice and support.

[anorak]

Well guess what, they day I arrived to live in Bermuda found a lump in my breast. Went to the doctor, got rushed to hospital for mammograms and ultrasound. Been told they suspect "extensive DCIS". Went back in for a core biopsy the day before yesterday and have to go for MRI scan this afternoon, should get the results of these next week sometime.

The hospital is lovely, the staff are lovely, DH's job pays private medical insurance so I am very lucky that I will have good treatment. I've been here two weeks and two days, they have certainly been quick and efficient so far and I'm very pleased to have been offered the MRI.

And for anyone who doesn't know what DCIS is (I didn't), it's a non-invasive form of cancer that tends to confine itself to the area of origin.

The surgeons seem to control the show. I have not yet met a histologist or an oncologist or any of the other members of the team, apart fromt the breast care paliative nurse. There seem to be big differences between breast surgeons and breast reconstruction surgeons and plastic surgeons. I'm not sure if this is a joke or not.

All my main surgery was done by the reconstruction surgeon, but I'm not sure who did the lump. Too zonked out....

There's a book a friend gave me called Cancer Vixen. It's a cartoon book about an illustrator in NY who gets bc. I found it really annoying (didn't like the drawing), but it had some interesting points

bump and thinking of you for next week anorak.

My appetite has come back with a vengeance. I don't know if it's the steroids, or losing weight. Bring on the ice-cream!

The house is full of dogs and dd#2 aged 18 months thinks this is wonderful. It's a lot to look out for! Dd#1 is at school, but only for a couple of hours a day.

I love watching the season change outside and breating fresh air.

Oh anorak I've only just seen this. I'm so sorry. Sending you my best wishes.

Hello ladies, just checking in with all you kind people. Nothing to report, just waiting to see the surgeon on Tuesday.

Your info about the operations is very useful hb, DH and I have been making plans in case I have to be in hospital a few days. We have both been and taken our driving test theory and passed, and we have our practical tests on Monday (you have to pass the Bermudian test to drive here) we have also bought a car. So provided we pass on Monday we will have wheels, which will be a great help in so many ways. At the moment I am walking DS to school and walking for groceries and it mounts up to about 3 miles a day. Which is ok but not if you're convalescing.

It will also be a massive help to DH if I am in hospital or laid up at home for a while as he will have to go on working while being available for DS for school runs.

Not to mention the possibility of having to make trips to the hospital for radiotherapy if that's what they decided to do.

I've also been teaching DS to come home from school on the bus (v safe and a different matter entirely from a 7 year old doing this in the UK) which means we only have to wait for him at the bus stop at the end of our road.

i missed this too, sending you much love anorak and a speedy recovery

Sending many best wishes to you, Anorak.

They'll probably tell you what they're planning to do to you next week! After my first
operation (the lumpectomy), I was up and about and doing all the things I would normally do. I was only in hospital for the morning, and I spent the rest of the day taking it easy.

I started driving again quite soon after I got home, so that would be about a month after the main operation. It's impossible to say whether my further stay in hospital slowed things down. Quite possibly. Operations do take time to recover from.

Anyway, I'm going to start going to a breast cancer art therapy group, if for nothing else, just to make me start thinking a bit more creatively again, and I'm going to my first support group for working age women with bc.

If I don't do something a bit positive I will bore the pants off my family and friends!

Anorak, good luck with the driving test. You are being so clear-headed about practical plans.

As I get myself ready for the mumsnet christmas meal I am remembering meeting you at one a few years ago. Sorry you won't be there this evening, but I am sure Bermuda has much more going for it than Farringdon Road Hope you too have a good evening

I hope you guys enjoy yourselves at your meet-up! It will be the first Christmas London one I've missed I think!

Anorak, my mum had b/c last year. She is now fab. The next couple of months will be the worst IME (or mums anyway). There will be ups and downs. I really hope it all goes well for you and you recieve excellent treatment. Good luck.xx

I hope you've both passed your driving tests today anorak, and all the best for tomorrow.

I've been feeling pretty down over the past few days. I went to the doc today for some more tummy drugs. She said it wasn't surprising, having been diagnosed with 2 serious diseases on top of each other, and she said the steriods did terrible things to your mood. I feel as though I have horrible pmt, but who knows. It feels as thought my period may have run off in fright, but I'm still in a foul mood.

Apparently coedine based painkillers are cumulative and can knacker you out. I have been getting so so tired recently. It really is depressing.

I am so sorry to moan. I hope this is a temporary blip!

good luck with the surgeon tomorrow

My mum got this when I was 13. I'm 37 and she's still giving us hell!

Sorry to hear you're feeling so rough hb, I hope things improve for you.

I passed my test but it was much simpler than I was expecting, the examiner told me that because I have a UK licence I only need a provisional licence to drive. I'm all confused now. DH has gone for his test and said he would check on everything. I'm just waiting for him to let me know how he got on.

congrats on passing though!

thanks Santasmissy!

Right have met with the surgeon. He didn't yet see my MRI scan results so wants me to go back on Friday. He tells me that it looks likely I will need a mastectomy in conjunction with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. He says there is a smallish tumour composed of invasive-type cancer which is enclosed in a larger lump of DCIS. I felt quite encouraged that the spreading cancer is all enclosed inside the other type.

He says the main decision will be whether to use chemotherapy to try shrinking the tumour prior to surgery, or to do the op immediately and use chemo or radiotherapy afterwards.

So back I go on Friday then! Hopefully will be able to drive there by then if DH has our car all documented, I picked up my licence today.

Glad you passed anorak

What else can I say? Glad that you're seeing the positive side of the DCIS. Will be thinking of you Friday and hope that you're comfortable with whatever route is decided on. Take care.

I was told this cancer had probably been growing invisibly for years and that it would have shown up on a mammogram. I am going to start a thread about mammograms!

I think you're right to find that encouraging anorak, that's good news

(sorry, I meant the post before the latest one- I didn't mean it was good news that it had been growing for years, obv- sorry)

Oh anorak, I have only just seen this, you poor love!

It is rotten timing for you, having only just got there, but at least you are getting whizzy treatment and fast too.

I have been through this too, if I can help pleeeeeeease email me. (I had lumpectomy, chemo and radio, 7 years ago now )

Good luck, flower.

XXX

Ha Tamum that's it I'm never speaking to you again

thanks Wendy - (I think I know who you used to be)...didn't know this had happened to you.

I was just discussing this with DH, you know I think the timing is fine. If I have to go through this, you know, then now is a better time than any other - I have private treatment here, I don't have a whole load of other commitments to worry about and it's so lovely here that it really takes my mind off things.

Can I just say I am so, so impressed with your attitude, anorak- it's a lesson to us all.

good luck Anorak,I have recently found out I have breast cancer too. I am having a mastectomy tomorrow morning, it is also in the lymph glands so I will probably have chemo and maybe radiotherapy, I will find that out in 2 weeks time.

I'm sorry to hear that, beep. How long do you expect to be in hospital? Good luck for tomorrow and please keep posting and let us know how you get on.