Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/85232
118: yourjourneys Our Journey WORDS BY: JEANNIE WOOD Breasts, boobs, bosoms, hooters – call them what you will – I have always loved mine. So you can imagine how I felt on the evening of 19th March 2012 when I put my hand onto my right breast and felt a hard lump. The next day, my husband Robert and I went to the doctor. As our family doctor was not available we were obliged to see another doctor. She sent a referral to Counties Manukau District Health Board on my behalf. A week later we had not heard anything, so we made another appointment with our family doctor. He was very concerned and sent through a new referral explaining my symptoms more fully. Two days later, our doctor phoned me to say he thought I should see a private Breast Surgeon for initial tests, then once I had a diagnosis to go back into the public system if the results were positive. He had been talking to another patient and she had said that she The waiting was horrific. My emotions were all over the place. Robert tried to keep me uplifted, but I was constantly overwhelmed with a sense of dread and disbelief. I come from a large family and there has been no cancer. I tried to convince myself that it was just a benign lump; I couldn't possibly have breast cancer, not me. The 10th April came around and I was so nervous I could hardly function. We were pleased when the surgeon came into the office and realised he was the surgeon who had performed a major operation on me just over two years previously. He examined my breast and took a biopsy and told me while I went and had a mammogram and ultrasound that the pathologist would test this and we would meet back in his office later that afternoon to get the results. From this stage on Robert was not able to accompany me as it was a women only zone. was in slow motion. The talking went on but I couldn't comprehend what was being said. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I tried to come to terms with this dreadful news. The surgeon explained that I would need to have a mastectomy and the affected lymph nodes removed immediately. The only delay would be his schedule. He said that following surgery I would require other treatment, probably chemotherapy, radiation and hormone treatment, but we would discuss that after the mastectomy. Once home, we telephoned family and friends to give them the news. I only managed a few calls. My dear Robert had to make most of them. Everyone was shocked and wanted to know what they could do to help. How did we know? We had no idea what we were in for and what we would need. The next day we received a call from the Breast Clinic, asking me to come in immediately as they had found a shadow on "We have the results of all the tests and they show, without a doubt, that you have an aggressive cancer that will need to come out quickly. Time seemed to stand still, all the noise was sucked out of the room and I felt like everything was in slow motion." had had to wait six weeks for an appointment and he did not want me waiting that long. I phoned a private surgeon and made an appointment for the next week. The following Monday, I received a letter from CMDHB informing me that I would have to wait five to six weeks for an appointment. I phoned and explained what had happened so far and on checking their files they discovered that the second letter from our family doctor had been sent to an old fax number and not been picked up by the correct department. Once they had this letter, they gave me the highest priority and made me an appointment for Tuesday 10 April. I went in for the mammogram and as I have these every two years this was not a problem. However, the ultrasound was a different story. I was able to see my lump on the screen and when the radiographer started measuring it and then measuring small lumps under my arm I knew this was serious. I joined Robert again and we met with the surgeon. He walked into the room with his nurse and announced, "We have the results of all the tests and they show, without a doubt, that you have an aggressive cancer that will need to come out quickly." Time seemed to stand still, all the noise was sucked out of the room and I felt like everything my left breast. I completely went to pieces, thinking the worst. However, a mammogram and examination revealed the shadow was actually a tiny skin tab underneath my breast. We walked out of the Breast Clinic absolutely ecstatic that my left breast was cancer free. It wasn't until we got into the car that we realised I still had breast cancer and would still lose my right breast. My operation was set for 2nd May and the next three weeks were some of the most difficult in our life together. This journey is very much OUR journey. We talk about it as WE not ME. A wonderful artist friend of Robert's who