Of Cysts and Surgery

For a long time I have advocated women checking their breasts regularly. I have even been know to get mine out to get the message across.




Check your boobs, the earlier lumps are found the better your chances of treatment being successful. If you do not know how make an appointment with the nurse at your local surgery and ask them to show you.

check your boobs every month

I do and earlier this year I experienced the fear that thousands do every year. I found a lump, distinct, moving under pressure lump. Within 2 days I was stood in the GP's surgery being told it was abnormal and I was being referred to the Fast Track breast care service. Two weeks of worry, two weeks of wondering what was going to happen to me and my children.

I was due to visit the hospital on the Monday afternoon, on Friday evening my cat, constant companion since she arrived in my life as an 8 week old kitten too young to be away from mum, wobbled and lost her footing on flat ground, then she peed on the floor. I had to accept that after 18 years the time had come to say goodbye. She had the weekend with us, getting lots of fuss.

Monday morning she and I made the trip to the vets, she was wrapped in a blanker fed fish and given the injection which ended her pain and released her from the suffering. I took her home and she is now at rest in a sunny part of the garden.




Then I was getting my boobs out to have a mammogram.




For those who have not had the pleasure it is uncomfortable but not painful. one breast at a time is compressed between 2 plates so an x-ray can be taken. Then on to ultra sound, the Doctor was lovely, she carefully scanned the affected breast. There on the screen in front of me were 2 clear dark voids that shouldn't have been there. I was lucky they were cysts, one was drained there and then but the other was out of reach. friday I did another check and have discovered that the cyst is once again at the surface tomorrow I go back to the doctor.



I healed quickly but still wasn't feeling right, I was tired and had sharp stomach pains. The kind that have you doubled up unable to do anything until it passed. I ignored it, I was too busy with life to take time out. In the end I had no choice, a ride in an ambulance ended in A&E. I was poked, prodded, stabbed with needles and had a cannula inserted by a medical student. Tests showed that I had an inflamed gallbladder.

Overnight admission and I was expecting to go home the next day, didn't happen. A porter appeared with a wheel chair to take me for an ultra sound. I felt every bump and jolt, by the time he parked me in the waiting area I was almost in tears. Staff from there immediately transferred me to a trolley.

People moan about the NHS and how long they have to wait, I was there less than 5 minutes before being taken to a scan room. I don't remember much more til I got back to the ward, as I was being transferred from trolley to bed a senior doctor stuck his head round the corner and very cheerfully announced 'I think we will have that out'.

He did, within a few hours I was in theatre, parting company with a very septic gallbladder which was on the verge of bursting.



I am still recovering but I have learned a valuable lesson, I am no good to anyone else if I am sick. Taking care of me isn't selfish - it is in every member of my family's interest that I am well enough to do all the things I normally do.



xGGx