My Story

The horrors of all horrors finding a lump under my arm an axillary lymph node. I went to the GP at Mount Plesant Health Centre on the 23/06/10. My usual GP wasnt available so i saw a junior doctor. She examined me and said i dont think it is anything to worry about its moveable and feels sort of stretchy although hard. We will take some blood test come back and see me in a week. Never gave it another thought. The week was up and I went back. No its nothing sinister, the blood tests are fine your kidney, liver function,blood counts all quite fine. Ive spoken to 5 other  senior GP and they say its just a lymph node come back in 3 months or maybe before if your worried. Fine i thought nothing wrong with me.

After a month the lymph node hadnt gone down and i thought this isnt right so went back to GP again my own not available and saw another jumior doctor, who looked at it and asked immediately for another opinion the senior GP took one look and fast tracked me to the hospital for a biopsy.

On the 07/09/10 my nightmare started i was diagnosed with adenoe carcinoma of unknown primary otherwise known as CUP cancer or Occult cancer. This meant the cancer had spread to my lymph node but also they couldnt find the primary site of the origional cancer. This has meant they have had to send me for so many tests to try and find that primary site which sort of leaves me in no mans land and no treatment until all tests complete. I have had a CT scan that shows nothing and have an MRI scan on Tuesday 5th October which they hope will show up the primary. Now you would think its good not having a primary but it really is bad news as they dont know what they are treating so as the lymph node is clossest to the breast they will treat it as breast cancer, they cant operate because they need to use the lymph node as a tumour marker as they have no primary tumour to work with.

I get the results of the MRI on Thursday so I pray they find a tiny breast cancer. On Friday i meet with the oncologist team to set up my chemo regime.

I will update on here as we go along. The worst thing has been the emotions along the way. Thinking your going to die any minute, the what ifs, waiting for results. I am so lucky to have Terry who keeps me positive and trucking forward. When we found out we just held on to each other and cried all night. Some good things have come out of this like the new found love for each other that is so much deeper for the experience. Also my Neighbour Deborah Dorman who introduced me to Brandon Bays Journey and without whose help I would have lost my mind.

5/11/10  Second round of chemo today and portacath fitted. Also diagnosed with HER 2 Positive status which makes the cancer more aggressive but at least with todays medcines i get to have HERCEPTIN for 12 months which makes things look a whole lot better.

18/11/10  Definitive results now diagnosed stage 2a breast cancer grade 3  HER2 positive cryptic breast cancer. With a very good prognosis.

27/1/11 Oh my goodness here we are and im over halfway through the chemo, Ive had all my FEC and have started the TAX, it really is the pits in as much as im always tired, my feet burn and itch like a plague, no concentration but heyho only 3 more to go. I also started Herceptin this month the wonder drug of HER 2 status.

My GP has been fantastic in looking after all the side effects and not dragging me into a surgery where i could pick up more infection. Cherry Brook chemo ward, i cant sing there praises long and hard enough. Do I feel safe with all this attention you bet I do. So, after chemo about April it will be surgery and then rads. 

8/3/11  Had my tax this week and feeling very tired as usual but coming to the end of chemo now only one more to have. How time flies. Looking forward as ever to a summer filled with some not so good things but mostly fun happy doggy things and horsey things.

23/3/11  Last tax today no more chemo after this one still Herceptin, surgery and rads to go but getting there. Great news on scan no evidence of cancer anywhere and the lymph nodes are resolved so it would appear that im NED (No evidence of disease) im not complacent i know im high risk of recurrence but in my mind im happy and am not going to allow it to come back.

9th May 2011  

Had axillary lymph node removal, all went well and good movement in my arm already. Came home at 4.00pm same day how good is that.

11th May 2011

All going well although i over did it yesterday and caused the drain to leak so taking it easy today. Naughty me never could keep still for long. I get the results on the 19th May and all is looking good at the moment yeaaaaaa.

19th May 2011  

Its official im in remission no sign of cancer long may it last.

4th July 2011

Started radiotherapy , 20th july, nearly finished no problems what so ever other than the boob looks like it has sunbathed in the Sahara topless.

21.07.11  Hooray radiotherapy all finished. Life resumes as normal ha ha.

11th January 2012 Herceptin finished, all cancer treatment finished just regular check ups now.

5/10/10 Had my MRI scan today that was hard to lay still for 40 minutes. I dont think ive ever been still for 40 minutes. Results on Thursday.

The MRI scan showed no cancer anywhere so now im a confirmed CUP cancer. I started my chemo on the 15/10/10 and so far so good. The good news is that because the cancer has not spread around my body they are activeley looking to cure it where as before it was said it wasnt cureable and they could only treat it. I have 8 rounds of FEC T chemo as its to be treated as breast cancer and then surgery to remove the lymph nodes. Treatment then finished and will be seen every 6 months for 5 years unless the cancer returns. Sadly that is always a possibility now.Anyway on the bright side treatment should be finished by June/July next year 2011

14/12/10  Here we are heading into xmas and pleased to report the chemo is going well and im not feeling to bad at all. Next chemo 29th December so at least ive got xmas off.

I made a complaint to the Health centre about the fact that i had a lump and a junior doctor who did not refer me to a senior doctor and the fact that 5 senior GPs who didnot examine or see me me but decided to say wait 3 months to see if it goes down. Im so glad i took no notice and went back after a month.

The health centre have agreed that this will never happen to anyone again and all lumps will get immediate referral to a senior GP.