From Unexpected Tenderness to Early Detection: My Breast Cancer Journey

 

Hi, I’m Sarah. 55 years old, married, and mum to 2 grown up children, nanny to 2 grandchildren with my 3rd one due in August! 

 

I run my own mobile hairdressing business so I can work hours to suit me, as I often look after my 3yr old grandson and do school runs for my 8yr old granddaughter. I love to shop, socialise with my friends, go on holidays, and spend weekends away with my husband Alan. We have just bought a brand new caravan so have lots planned for trips away! I also do an exercise class called Clubbercise, it’s aerobic/dance routines to club music in the dark with disco lights, and no one gets to see your wobbly bits wobbling whilst exercising!

 

Enough about me, onto my breast cancer story. 

 

Back in November 2022, out of the blue, I noticed my left breast was a bit tender in the nipple area. I didn’t think anything of it, as I had no lump, discharge, dumpling, or anything that met the symptoms of breast cancer! Fast forward a couple of weeks, the tenderness was still there. I noticed it more when I folded my arms across my chest. But having 2 grandchildren who like to sit on my lap and cuddle, and a grandson who uses his elbows a lot, I put it down to them causing my ‘possibly bruising’, even though I had no bruise!

 

By sheer chance my routine mammogram came through in the middle of December 2022. Off I trotted, not a care in the world. I got prepped for the mammogram, and as the radiographer was positioning my left breast, I said “I may scream when you compress it, as my breast is a bit painful”. To which she replied, “Oh, don’t worry it won’t be breast cancer because that doesn’t hurt!”.

 

At that point I was stunned, as breast cancer hadn’t crossed my mind! I left the unit thinking I don’t believe what she’s just said to me…

 

Between Christmas and New Year, I received a letter asking me to go to our local breast unit in January. I attended that with my husband, where I had another mammogram. I was then called in to see the doctor who had my breast scans on her computer screen. She talked to me about ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ images.

Then she told me she was concerned about this ‘white thick line’ in my nipple area. I obviously asked what she thought it was. She replied saying it could be breast cancer but I’d need a biopsy to confirm. Obviously panic set in, as our daughter was getting married in July 2023 ,and I didn’t want to be ‘a bold mother of the bride’.

 

I had the biopsy, and then had to wait 2 weeks to return to the hospital for the results. When we went back, I was greeted by a lovely consultant. I instantly knew something was not right! He told me that, yes, the biopsy had proved it was cancer, and that I had DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ). In Layman’s terms, cancer in the milk duct. Due to having heart problems, a lumpectomy and radiotherapy were out of the question. So I made the decision to have a mastectomy where some lymph nodes would also be taken away. This was booked in for the beginning of February 2023.

 

I had a dye injected into my nipple area 2 days before the op, and had to have a special x-ray, as that would show the surgeon where my lymph nodes were. The operation was done in a day, I went in at 7am and was out by 5pm. I had 1 drain in, which was fine, just a bit awkward to sleep with. The district nurse came in to check the drain, and said it was fine. That came out a week later.

 

2 weeks post-op we went back to see my surgeon for results. He said the words I longed to hear. The cancer had all gone, my lymph nodes were clear, and no further treatment was needed. “Just carry on recovering,” he said. To which, I did quite quickly. Everyday I did the exercises the breast nurse had given me. I got full movement back in my arm. I had no swelling or seromas. I was back to work by week 5; slowly at first then back to my full capacity by week 8. 

 

Throughout this time, I was wearing a bra and a breast form, which took some playing around with. At first I used a ‘softie’ provided by my breast cancer nurse – that was okay, but it didn’t give me the projection I needed. So I started to use the silicone gel prosthesis provided by the NHS. This gives me the fullness and projection, but it’s heavy, and hot, and is causing me pain in my shoulder due to the weight of it! 

 

Throughout my journey I have remained positive. Yes I have grieved for my left breast, as I had ample cleavage. I still wear the same clothes I did before losing my breast, and I thank my body for making me feel feminine, despite having a scar across my left side. Sometimes I go out without my breast prosthesis in, because at the end of the day I am still me, still loving life, thankful for every day.  

 

My message on International Women’s Day is go for your mammograms, check your breasts, don’t delay going to doctors if something doesn’t feel right. And most importantly, love yourself! 

 

Sarah Goldsmith