Abnormal Mammogram

[Jemma7]

Thought my day was going too well..............knew something would have to wrong at some point!

My mum (51) went for a routine mammogram a few weeks ago - she was worried as she has had both blood and brain cancer before and the whole concept completely freaks her out!

She has now had a letter today advising that she needs to go back for more test as some abnormalities have been shown!

She has just told me in absolute sobs of tears, she is petrified and it has made her even more nervous that the appointment is for Tuesday - she is thinking that because it is so soon then there is definitely something bad wrong!

DP's bad died of lung cancer 2 and a half years ago and i don't know if i can cope going through everything again - I know it's selfish and i know that i should be thinking of my mum (which of course i am) but i can't help thinking how i am going to cope if something is wrong.

I am in floods of tears writing this, i am soooo close to my mum and honestly do not know how to deal with this - i know i need to try and be strong for her but i just don't know what to do!

Even my Dad is worrying and he is usually laid back about these sort of things - not worrying until there is a strong reason too etc!

Sorry to go on but i just know what to do

oh dear It may not mean anything bad my MIL had a 'lump' and an abnormal braest scan but it did only turn out to be a cyst. Which she had removed by a minor operation. Dont feel selfish, I know that I feel the same sometimes - my sister died last year and I have endless troubles with my SN daughter and I think 'I CANT TAKE ANYMORE". But Jemma you can and you WILL cope and I wish that your Mums OK

Jemma7 my mum was in hospital yesterday for scan after an abnormal mammogram (she'd found a lump first) 7 weeks ago. The scan shows lots of cysts but nothing more serious. We have all worried for weeks.I hope your mum is o.k and it maight be just the same as mine but we always think the worst dont we? Good luck

Well, Have just heard from the hospital who have confirmed it is definitely not just a case of not getting a clear enough picture.

They have confirmed there is definitely something there but it just a case of what!

I feel helpless - i don't know what to say - i don't know whether to mention it incase i upset her but i don't want her to think i don't care!

Jemma7, even if it is bad news and your mum has cancer, it doesn't mean a death sentence, though that's what it looks like to you all at the moment. My mum had 2 completely different types of cancer (1 in each breast) diagnosed 3 years ago. The one on the left could have been treated with radiotherapy, but because she'd had a quadruple heart by-pass 5 years previously, she had to have a mastectomy. The cancer in her right breast was " as viralunt as it gets" and so that was also removed. She has been on Tamoxifen ever since and is clear. She has another 2 years on Tamoxifen to go. It was so scary (more than the heart by-pass), particularly as her mother had has a mastectomy and died of secondaries later. But she is alive and here, and as healthy as she can be. And as she said at the time , she finally got to choose her own breasts!! So, hang in there, it may not be as bad as you think.

The other thing to bear in mind is that if they found it on a routine mammogram it is likely to be in the early stages, and so treatable (assuming it's malignant at all). She sounds like a real survivor, too. Good luck to you both.