Tests and reconstruction options

Following on from the diagnosis I had time to wait for my appointment with the plastic surgeon.

Undergoing immediate reconstruction is fairly common, especially in younger patients like myself (I was 37 when I was diagnosed). However, immediate reconstruction means a longer surgery and requires 2 surgeons, a breast surgeon to undertake the mastectomy and then a plastic surgeon to undertake the reconstruction. Whilst I awaited my plastic surgery appointment (which was around a week later) I was to have an MRI of my breasts to check that there was definitely no invasion (the cancer breaks out of the milk ducts). Invasion would have meant a change of plan regarding treatment - probably chemotherapy, mastectomy then radiotherapy. The MRI was only a few days later but was one of the most awful experiences. To explain, you have to lay face down with your boobs in two holes meaning all your weight is on your sternum (breast bone). You have to stay really still whilst the scan is taken which is in a tube and the magnet spinning is very loud. You get ear plugs and I’m not claustrophobic but the pain in my sternum from lying on it was almost unbearable. At one point I had to ask them to stop and put more padding in to try to relieve the pain.

Symptoms to Diagnosis.

In January 2019 I started to experience pain in my left breast. I put it down to hormones as, due to a Merina IUD, I don’t have periods but my daughter was on hers. She finished but my pain continued. After 3 weeks I decided to see my GP and I told my husband who also urged me to go to the GP.
I got an appointment the next day and the GP said there was a ‘lump’. In fact this was a solid mass in the centre of the breast rather than a borderless misshapen lump as is typical with invasive breast cancer. She referred me to my local hospital straight away and within 10 days I was sat in the Breast clinic worrying my arse off.
In the breast clinic I was seen by a consultant who felt the breast and found some small bumps he wanted ultrasound imaging of. He was not concerned by the hard mass in the middle. Then I went for mammogram which was uncomfortable due to the fact that the breast already hurt and was swollen but it only lasted mere seconds.
After some more waiting a lovely radiographer called me in to have an ultrasound with another consultant (a professor this time!)
The consultant told me the mammogram had shown lots of micro calcifications and they needed to take a biopsy. Normally these biopsies are taken under X-ray assisted by vacuum. However they didn’t have a spare appointment for that procedure that day. The consultant was amazing and said she would try to get a sample using ultrasound.
The biopsies were pretty uncomfortable especially the final one. She took 3 in total and X-rayed the samples to look for calcium. By the 3rd sample she managed to get a suitable sample.
By this time I was stressed and tearful, I knew they wouldn’t biopsy without a reason.