Day -8. Ignorance is a bliss

Just a week left before summer holidays. Part of taking care of myself included not ignoring things on my body. Starting with a breast lump. And today I had an appointment! ‘Triple diagnostics’ as my GP said. That means mammography, ultrasound and biopsy if necessary.

Not having much experience as a patient I thought mammography was painful… poor thing! The doctor coming for the ultrasound almost laughed at me.

‘There’s nothing (pathological) on mammo. Let me palpate… I feel nothing!’

Well I’m probably exaggerating…young doctors always suspect worst case scenario. Moreover I had recently come across cases regarding women my age with breast cancer. [Not working with cancer myself, and that was a conscious decision.]

‘Let’s go on with the ultrasound.’

Silence…

‘Well I actually see something… I think the best thing is to take a biopsy’!

He wasn’t talking much… but I was still on ‘doctor'(not patient)-mode! Tried to ask as many questions as possible in case I could sort this out… The answers falsely calming, something that I don’t really like (and didn’t know at the moment…)!

The first biopsy failed… Painful though. Second one went well, just as painful! Cried for the first time during this ‘journey’. Mostly because of pain. And a bit of anxiety… Completely unaware of what was about to follow!

Five minutes of fresh air and then back to work. As if nothing happened. And that went on for a week. The only reminder, my bruised breast…