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Chapter 3a: First clinic appointment

I was surprised to realise that I felt short-tempered the morning of my appointment at the breast diagnostic clinic.

After bickering with Frank, I apologised and explained I was feeling angry. After this it was manageable.

In the car on the way I started writing notes in case this was going to turn into something big and I would later want to document how I felt.

Chapter 2: GP at 7:30am

When we move house, Frank and I tend to leave packing quite late; it's never intentional, but that's how we end up.

We began packing in earnest a couple of days before we were due to move this time. The removal van was due to arrive at 8:30am on the Thursday.

The night before, it was clear we wouldn't be finished in time, and we'd run out of boxes.

I was too busy to think about my lump or my doctor's appointment the morning of the move.

Chapter 1: I found a lump

Just before we were due to move, I found - what seemed to me - a rather large lump in the left side of my left breast. I check for lumps whenever I remember to, about every 2-3 months, when I am in the shower or in bed.

The lump was unmistakable. I didn't tell Frank immediately. I thought about it for a while and then went into his study.

Chapter 0: Surgery 8 March

I'm writing to let you know that I will have a lump removed from my breast on 8 March.

I was diagnosed on Wednesday with an early stage cancer. However, the lump is small, it hasn't spread and I will not die of cancer. I am fine. I feel fine. And I will be fine after the operation. Nothing bad is going to happen to me. Except for hospital visits and side-effects from therapy, I am going to continue my life as normal.

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