What it was like getting my breast cancer diagnosis
Francien Daniels-Webb, a 65-year-old single, homeless, retired teacher has been travelling the world on her own. All done on the cheap, she home and pet sits.
“You have cancer.”
The surgeon tells me it’s in one breast and my daughter, Felicity, grabs my hand. But the surgeon hasn’t finished her spiel just yet. The diagram shows another area marked out in the other breast.
“This is very unusual but you have two different cancers in your breasts.”
We are told that one breast needs to be removed, as well as, possibly my lymph nodes at a later stage. I’ll need radiation, five times a week for five weeks!
The other breast, I tell her straight away, will also be removed at the same time. Before Felicity and I arrived at the Ringwood Breastscreen Victoria Clinic I had already prepared myself to make that statement. After having two totally different methods of biopsies on two different days last week I knew in my heart and my head that I needed to come in with my plan of action, too.
Both Felicity and I told the young surgeon that her job must be very difficult, suck actually. It must just as popular as a dentist! A nurse took us to the withdrawal room, telling us she would be back in a short while. Three other women were in the room with their supporters, all awaiting to hear the plan for their treatment. More women would be coming in as the day had just begun.
We jumped onto our phones to call and text our family and give them the news. The first text was to my ex-husband and his partner. Then I called my dear friend who I met through house and petsitting for her and her husband while they followed their dream to visit Europe and the UK in 2014. I was trusted to care, love and spoil their six geriatric puppies for three months. Sadly, the three darlings have passed on while I was overseas last year.
The nurse returned and went through what the surgeon told us and gave me a package called “My Journey Kit”, which was created and published by the Breast Cancer Network Australia.
I hadn’t had a mammogram since 2008, and having had a double breast reduction in 2009 with no sign of cancer or abnormalities, I continued to enjoy my much smaller and of course lighter breasts! My back and neck thanked me daily. My doctor continued to do regular breast checks on me as I had had surgery in 1992 to remove three lumps (not cancerous). I was told to stop checking and leave the mammograms to my GP as I have very lumpy breasts.
I neglected the bi-annual mammograms and it was not until last month that I had a mammogram. I was then called back twice to have two different biopsies. I knew what the results would be. So no shock, no tears, just relief that I would be looked after in my new journey, which sadly is not a road less travelled for many women. The number of women being diagnosed with breast cancer is rising everyday.
Do you know anyone who has had cancer? I am sure you do. And remember, cancer is not biased against gender so boys make sure you man up and get tested too! We are all touched by cancer. Only two days before my meeting my cousin in the Netherlands told me that her husband's doctors could no longer do anything for his lung and bladder cancer. So he is home for as long as they can manage.
Ladies, did you know that if you are 40 or over you can make an appointment to have a mammogram? If your family has a history of breast cancer you will be welcomed and encouraged to make that booking.
I will be genetically tested as I am the first in my known family history to have breast cancer, not just one form but two very different cancers needing totally different treatments! If I carry the gene then my two daughters (one who I have been estranged from for over seven years) will go together to be tested.
My surgery date is the 7th November, the node biopsies at 7am then later that day the bilateral mastectomies at Maroondah Hospital in Ringwood. No reconstructive surgery for me.
I am getting a pattern to crochet myself two breasts, much better then sticky plastic chicken fillets!
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Related links:
5 scientific reasons to exercise if you have cancer
How to reduce your cancer risk
How cycling reduces your risk of osteoporosis