REBECCA’S EXPERIENCE

I found a lump about the time I discovered that I was pregnant with my second daughter in January 2003. At 37 and having just stopped breast feeding my first daughter I thought that it was a hormonal problem, the fact that it could be anything else never entered my head. I  did nothing for 7 months when I mentioned the lump to my midwife who thought it was blocked milk duct. A month later it was still there and went to my GP who was alomost certain that it was nothing serious but refered me to a one-stop clinic at my local hospital. I attened on my own and some 6 hours later my life was changed forever when I was diagnosed with cancer that had spread to my lymph nodes.

Telling my friends and family was very traumatic. My life seemed to be taken over by endless hospital appointments. My oncologist and obstetrician agreed a treatment plan and I had 2 cycles of chemo  (AC) while I was pregnant at 32 and 35 weeks. I then had a C-Section at 38 weeks with chemo beginning again just 8 days later. It was a difficult and stressful time as my eldest daughter was just 16 months old. Unfortunately the AC wasn’t having enough effect and I needed to switch drugs. I had 3 cycles of Taxotere which had a huge impact and shrunk my 5 x 6 cm breast tumour to cells.

I had surgery in February 2004 and the cancer remained in only 1 lymph node (it had been a 4 x 4cm tumour) but active cells were still remaing in 1 blood vessel in my breast so I needed to have further surgery in March. All that remained after that was the 25 sessions of radio theraphy which completed 10 months of treatment in June 2004. As my cancer was Oestrogen positive I am taking Tamoxifen.

I benefitted from having counselling which helped me accept and deal with what had happened to me and to move on in my life.

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