Hi everyone my name is Joan I am 43 years old. I live in Dublin with my husband and three young children. Pre diagnosis I was having a shower one day doing my routine check and found a small lump in my right breast I didn’t think much of it until a month later I felt it got bigger and felt different, so I asked my husband to feel it and then my sister they both agreed it would be best to go to the go to get it checked out.
So two weeks later I went to the GP and knew there was something wrong when she tried to get me into Beaumont that day, it was Friday 10th April and she gave me a hand written letter for the Tuesday so I went had a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsies done, after that went up to the breast clinic where they called me into a room, they told me the lump looked suspicious and they said they think its cancer and to prepare for the worst, just aswell my husband was with me we were both in shock.
We went back that Friday and the biopsy results were back and they confirmed it was cancer her 2 positive stage 2 grade 2, all I was thinking about was my three young children how do I tell them, (surgery ) 2nd May I had a lumpectomy they took a 2cm tumor away a few weeks later the biopsy results came back it wasn’t clear so on the 24th May I had a second surgery to clear the margins, they were almost sure they got it all this time, another 2cm but a few weeks later I was with the oncology to talk about chemo and it looked like I only needed to have Taxol but the following week the biopsy results were back and it wasn’t good there was more cancer it was under a muscle and they needed to do a mastectomy.
I was due to fly out on holiday that weekend with my family, so the hospital agreed to let me go and have the mastectomy as soon as I got back, the holiday was a blur to be honest we only went to try keep things normal for the children’s sake. I had the mastectomy on the 27th June I was in hospital for six days I had a expander put in, there was 6cm of cancer in total they got it all this time,.
(Before chemo) Before I started chemo I sat the children down and told them mam has cancer it was the hardest thing I ever had to do I got books online that had pictures to help them understand about cancer and treatment it really helped, when my hair fell out it was terrifying and it took two weeks to shed I wore a headscarf most of the time my scalp was sore and sensitive. My youngest child saw me one morning without the headscarf he got a fright and screamed mammy you look so scary, my heart broke, but in time he got use to it and was fine.
(Treatment) I started chemo on the 27th of July 4 AC and 12 Taxol after a few my veins collapsed and I needed a chemo port put in, it was sore and uncomfortable for a few weeks, I have finished 25 radiation and I have herceptin every three weeks and take Tamoxifen I will need breast reconstruction later in the year, I am doing well thanks to my wonderful husband my sister and a few close friends. Thank you for reading my story, stay positive and surround yourself with positive people.
