Self examinations so important for breast cancer detection
| The duty GP
examined me and was angry. He said that it was obvious that I had
this lump for some time, and that my breast wall had started to pucker.
The tumour had already started to attach itself to my breast wall. |
My story is simple really. I was living in Scotland and married. I was
36 when I found a small lump on the side of my left breast. I went to
a GP for her to check it out. She laughed and said that there was nothing
there to feel. A few months later I returned to the surgery for a smear
test. At the same time I asked the nurse to check if she could feel anything.
She said she couldn't. I had said to her I really didn't know what to
look for, or how do I know the lump was to do with cancer. She advised
that you should feel for a small pea size lump. I said that I felt it
was bigger than that and she said she couldn't feel anything. So off I
went again.
I spoke to my husband and he said that he couldn't feel anything. Unfortunately
he was having an affair with a woman who has suspected ovarian cancer
and so I soon realised that his attentions were elsewhere. One week I
had severe headaches for a week and by Friday I couldn't take much more
and so called the GP, who advised me to come to the surgery straight away.
He diagnosed migraine. However, at this time I asked him about a lump
I could feel. He said that there was nothing there but could be a cyst
there. I said well I have become paranoid and I guess I needed reassurance.
He said no problem and at any time I need reassurance to return for another
check.
During this time I went to Morocco to visit my twin sister, and a Moroccan
paediatrician friend said that he could feel something. I told him I’d
had it checked out, and that my GP said that it was probably a cyst, and
nothing to worry about. At this time I thought what does a Moroccan children’s
doctor know. How ignorant and stupid could I be!
My marriage over, some months later, in October 2001, I moved to England,
began a new job and lived in my sister’s house while she was in
Morocco. Things were going well. I felt good, healthy and I had lost 2.5
stones in weight for the Millennium and I was managing to maintain my
weight. I was ready for a new start.
Six weeks into the new job my manager insisted I register with a
surgery and also get checked out. The duty GP examined me and was angry.
He said that it was obvious that I had this lump for some time, and that
my breast wall had started to pucker. The tumour had already started to
attach itself to my breast wall. He said that he thought it was breast
cancer and would make an appointment at the city hospital. I had to have
surgery within the week. I had grade 3 cancer, had a mastectomy, and I
was angry and upset. A few weeks later, in January 2002, I had chemotherapy
and then radiotherapy.
While at home I would cry every evening because that was the close of
day and things stopped. Who would want me now? I was also putting on weight.
How could God allow me to go through this and why? My twin sister handed
in her resignation to look after me. At this point I thought I had better
pull myself together and stop crying, I didn't want her to know how upset
I was. I didn't want her to be upset too.
Many weeks later I convinced her that I didn't need looking
after and that she should return to Morocco. I was so grateful for her
help and love. But we both returned to Morocco for me to convalesce. It
was lovely to feel the sun on my face, to feel relaxed and to each lunch
outside in January. Soon it was time to return to England. I went back to work and began my chemotherapy.
My oncologist asked why I was working while having treatment, but I asked
why not?
Now I am 43 and divorced. I have a Moroccan fiancé who loves me
very much and accepts the way I am. How I had underestimated men! I know
I have had men in my life, but as soon as they realised I’d
had a mastectomy some left, never to be seen again.
In January 2007, I looked forward to finishing my Tamoxifen,
but the oncologist decided I should continue until March, just to ensure
that I’d had 5 years of Tamoxifen. March came and went and I saw the surgeon to check things were OK on my 6-monthly examinations.
He decided that I should have a blood test and to check out my hormones.
It has now been decided that I should continue for another year with the
Tamoxifen and that I am now in the perimenopause status.
I have so many questions to ask. The oncologist has advised that I see
my GP to get my answers. Surely he cannot answer the question on what
the oncologist has decided. I am so very upset; I wanted to look forward
to another start. I wanted to finish my medication; I wanted to have the
chance of losing weight as the Tamoxifen makes me feel continuously hungry.
The reconstruction surgeon will not perform surgery until I lose at least
2 stones. I take blood pressure tablets. I thought maybe going off the
Tamoxifen I would lose weight, which would lead to better blood pressure. Am
I too old to have children now? Am I still ovulating? There are so many
questions. I feel the surgery was just yesterday; it is so vivid in my
memory.
My GP appointment is tomorrow morning, I do hope my questions can be
answered satisfactorily. Although I cannot turn back the clock, I want
people to learn by my mistake of not pushing the doctors to send me to
the hospital in Scotland to get checked out, for not listening to the
Moroccan doctor. I believe that there is no one who knows your body like
you and, therefore, if you feel things are not quite right stand your ground.
It is no good us carrying out the checks if the GPs are not prepared to
check it out further.
Vanessa A McCormick
UK
some resources:
- National
Cancer Institute offers comprehensive information about breast cancer
- American Cancer
Society presents everything you need to know to cope with cancer
and its effects
- Cancer Care Inc. is a national
non-profit organization whose mission is to provide free professional
help to people with all cancers through counseling, education, information
and referral and direct financial assistance.
- National Lympedema Network
(NLN) provides education and guidance to lymphedema patients, healthcare
professionals and the general public by disseminating information on
the prevention and management of primary and secondary lymphedema. The
latter can develop as a result of cancer surgery, radiation, infection
or trauma.
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