Third Hospital Appointment - Part 1

D-day has finally arrived. Quite frankly, I am beginning to hate Wednesdays. Traditionally called "hump day" they are now know in our house as hospital days. Bleurgh.

My husband and I take the children to nursery and then, as neither of us has eaten, we pop to our local pub for coffee and danish pastries. The appointment is for 11.40, so no need to rush. I've ordered everything we need for the house at this stage, so no more shopping "missions" required. Just as well. It is all getting quite expensive!

We know the drill by now when we get to hospital. First stop, WH Smith for a paper and some bottles of water, then the loos. My bladder is still nervous. Quite why, I don't know - it's my breasts that should be nervous...

We sit and wait. The clinic isn't running late today, but it is jam packed. We're about half an hour early so we get some reading done. I have a book that I started the first time I had to go up to hospital; "Killer stuff and tons of money" (I'm an antiques bore) that I try and get into it again. One day, I'll start it again from the beginning and read it properly, but it will always remind me of the hospital waiting room.

I'm pleased to see that no one is sitting there and reading "Fifty Shades" - I haven't read it, but from the reviews it isn't really waiting room material. It was on sale, with two or three similar books at WH Smith outside the hospital entrance......

We're finally called in, and rather nervously we wait for Mr Pain. This time, it's just him and the Breast Care nurse who come in. This is a first.

So. The results. I've been waiting a week for these and now it's time I almost don't want them.

However, unexpectedly good news awaits. Despite all signs to the contrary, the cancer does not appear to have spread into the axillary nodes. I'm just awkward, apparently. 

So, the other breast? At the moment, the micro-calcifications have been labelled "changes" and are not considered an issue. I'll have to have regular mammograms to keep a close eye on it/them, but they see no need to remove that one as well.

I'll admit, I nearly sobbed with joy at this point. Never in my life did I imagine that being told I have only got to have one breast and a few nodes removed would make me happy. It's amazing how things change. 

All the good news of course has to be underwritten with a couple of caveats:

•  They've only tested part of the lump via biopsy, impossible to test all of it so it is only a partial diagnosis

• We have to test the Sentinel Lymph node as well, which can only be done under a general anaesthetic (GA)

Caveats aside, I was amazed and delighted - sometimes cynicism pays off - I do like to be proved wrong occasionally. (Just don't tell anyone).

Oh yes, more humour.

Mr Pain's regular anaesthetist is Mr Sharp.

Sharp and Pain, I ask you! Better than Wallace and Gromit though.....