I was just browsing through some really old posts and saw one that gave me a bit of a scare (and not the Halloween kind). I’d found a lump in my breast and spent a few days worrying before the doctor checked it over and determined all was well.
That was 17 years ago and during my blogging hiatus – just before Christmas 2023 – I had another incident. This time however, no doubt due to my “advancing age”, I was sent straight to the breast clinic for a proper investigation.
Bizarrely, I wasn’t as worried about the possible outcome this time. I’ve always been physically fairly healthy. Smoked briefly in my late teens and early twenties and I enjoy the odd glass of wine on the weekend. Nothing to write home about.
The breast clinic was run incredibly well. You’re allowed to take someone with you, but if they’re male they can’t go past the initial triage and into the inner waiting area. Everyone is given kimono-style tops to wear and you put your clothes in a little basket which is kept with you. It was very busy and there were lots of stages.
First was the aforementioned triage. A young male registrar checked me over. Obviously very experienced and seen a lot of women with breast issues, but still felt a bit awkward. I was told that all women over 30 with a lump need to have a mammogram, so off I went to the inner waiting area.
I then had to wait quite a while as there were lots of other patients waiting to be seen. I had dreaded having a mammogram for years, but it turned out to be a lot more comfortable than expected. I won’t be dreading the routine one I’ll get called to when I’m 50!
After that was done, it was back to the waiting room while my results were looked over by a consultant. This took another hour or so and I got chatting with a couple of other ladies. One had previously had breast cancer treatment and now had a new lump. She was understandably anxious, but remained upbeat the whole time.
I was then called in for an ultrasound, which I’d been told was likely. What I hadn’t been told is that they would do a biopsy at the same time. I was actually quite grateful for that, because I really wouldn’t have wanted to be stressing about a giant needle being stuck in me!
Nonetheless, I could feel the nerves kicking in as I got on the bed. The nurses were so friendly, one was comforting me the whole time and explaining every step. I’ve had ultrasounds before, during my pregnancies, but this was quite uncomfortable as the nurses were a bit rough trying to locate the lump and breasts are sensitive! It was easy enough to find and then it appeared on the monitor, which was really fascinating to see.
Next step – the biopsy. I was told the procedure, shown the (massive!) needle and they demonstrated the sound it makes when they click to slice off a sample so I wouldn’t be alarmed. I was prepped with local anaesthetic and my heart was pounding.
I watched the monitor while they did the biopsy. I could barely feel anything and it helped to keep me distracted, though seeing the magnified image of the needle going in was also a bit scary. I could easily make out the different layers of tissue it needed to punch through and made myself look at it like I was watching a documentary.
They took 2 samples and then it was done. I was allowed to get dressed, advised to wear a soft bra for support and told to take lots of paracetamol as it would be sore later. The lump appeared to be a benign fatty growth, but the biopsy would rule out anything worrying.
On my way back through the waiting room, I saw the lady who’d previously been treated for cancer. It was good news and her cancer had not returned.
My husband was ready waiting for me outside. The whole thing had taken about 3 hours, though the tests and consultations probably totalled no more than 45 minutes.
The nurses advice to take painkillers was an understatement. Once the anaesthetic wore off, it hurt like hell! I had to wear the support bra 24hrs a day for a few days as any movement at all was excruciating. Lying in bed was a special kind of torture. I got the mother of all bruises as well!
The formal result came back a week later confirming it was just some fatty tissue and typical for a woman my age. The lump is still there today and seems to get a bit bigger during parts of my monthly cycle. All normal and apparently I don’t need to bring my next mammogram forward.
It’s times like these that I’m especially grateful for the universal healthcare we have here in the UK. I can’t imagine how many women in the US, for instance, will not seek advice because they simply can’t afford to. In my opinion, it should be a basic human right in any first-world country.