Breast Surgery
The first step we took with the breast cancer was to have an ultrasound. The Doctor, who was very caring, matter of fact guy, went to the wrong side, we pointed this out, he turned the xray round the other way and came over to the right side. When we tell people this they look horrified but it just wasn't like that at the time. I guess you just had to be there to appreciate what the atmosphere was like and how this guy helped us.

He then proceeded to take a needle biopsy and said we would have to wait until the next day for the results. I asked him was it Cancer he replied that he could not say, until the results were in. I then asked what his experience told him he then said he was almost sure it was cancer.

Susan was told that she would need a lumpectomy but she may need a second op to remove the breast if the cancer had spread further than they thought. Susan had to have a wire inserted into her breast so the surgeon could find the centre of the lump which was small.

Sue had the operation and was absoulutly full of energy afterwards so up beat I thought she was on something. When Susan got home she had to ring up for a follow up appointment. The breast care nurse said I have your results here and everything is clear you are okay.

We duly arrive at the hospital and sit to wait to see the Doctor and we wait, while we are waiting another breast care nurse breezes along and says good news you are all clear. We see the Doctor going down the corridor she goes in a room where the surgeon lives, we wait

Eventually the Doctor calls as in a proceeds to tell us that Susan had two tumors one the lump was slow growning, the other however was very fast spreading and Sue would have to have her breast taken off the full mascectomy.

To say we were shocked was an understatement. We thought the Doctor had got it wrong because we had been given the all clear by the nurses. The doctor said they did not read the report properly if they had turned over the page they would have seen the truth, Susan was in danger from this disease.

Susan had the mascectomy and thankfully it had not got into the lymph glands this time after the operation she was very lethargic. We got over the hurdle of looking at the wound and things started to look better for Susan except for the pain

Susan was in great pain but the nurses and Doctors would not believe her and the pain killers they grudgingly gave her did not work.

It was our GP who saved the day as soon as we saw her she said I read about this yesterday 1 in 200 women experience pain and there is one chance that this drug we use for people who have slight nervous problems might help. Susan tried it the first two pills gave her immediate relief. However it was eight months or so before Sue weened herself off of the drug and was free from pain.

The other thing that causes problems, of which Susan had her fair share, is Tamoxifen now this wonderful drug can encourage women to eat more because of a side effect which can make you feel hungry and of course Susan put on weight and more weight until she reached a size 24 at which point we discovered a variation of the slimmers world type diet which suits us

Only yesterday sue bought a size 14 top she is betwixt and between at the moment some size 18 but some clothes she has not fitted into for a long time are seeing the light of day. For my part my wedding suit is now too big so I am lighter than Susan has ever known me WOW!
The New Life (Move On)