Cheryl’s Story
In October 2021, at the age of 53, I was called back from a routine mammogram. (I had rescheduled the mammogram appointment twice, as it was inconvenient. Something I kick myself for now.) My heart lurched when I received the call back, but I reminded myself I had no lumps in my breast. I checked again and so did my partner, but we couldn’t feel anything. I also, as far as I knew, had no family history of breast cancer, so I went back to hospital the following week feeling confident I was absolutely fine. But I wasn’t.
The somber faces of the hospital staff doing the tests were disconcerting and when the doctor doing the ultrasound circled over and over the same area, I could feel my panic rising. The biopsy was brutal and left me shaken and crying. Following a terrifying week of waiting, the doctor confirmed I have breast cancer.
After a lumpectomy and mastopexy (breast lift) to cover the area removed, I had 5 sessions of radiotherapy and a mastopexy on the other breast a year later to level me up. I also commenced 10-years of taking anastrozole to minimize the chance of a recurrence. The medication caused a trigger thumb and pain and stiffness in my fingers, which is a problem being a hairdresser, but three steroid injections later and I’m seeing improvement. Despite the physical pain, the biggest impact from my initial diagnosis was psychological. Being diagnosed with cancer is a terrible shock. I was offered counseling which was really helpful.
I started 2023 feeling as if my cancer journey was over, but then began getting stomach pains in March. The pain continued and worsened, so I made an appointment with my GP. I hadn’t thought for a second that it would be cancer, but the doctor took blood immediately and did a test for bowel cancer. The bowel cancer test was negative, but my CA125 levels were 325 ( over 30 is considered abnormal). I had an internal ultrasound the next week and felt sure the radiographer could see something! The next morning, I looked at my NHS app and was able to see my results… a 7cm x 5cm mass on my ovary! I was terrified, but tried to convince myself it was a cyst. Unfortunately, a CT suggested ovarian cancer, with a 1cm mass also present on my pelvic lining. I was referred to Queen Charlotte’s hospital in London and met the amazing Professor Fotopolous, who explained about my surgery and treatment. She told me there was every chance they would find more cancer, but they wouldn’t know until surgery. In the operating room, they discovered my cancer had spread to the surface of my liver and my surgery included a full hysterectomy, removal of my pelvic lining, omentom (an area next to my liver) and part of my bowel. The incision runs from my bikini line to just below my ribcage. All visible cancer was removed, which gives me a much better chance of survival. Ovarian cancer stage 3b was confirmed two weeks later and I began 6 rounds of chemo three weeks after. I’m still recovering from surgery and chemotherapy and my stomach is swollen and sore, but this is a small price to pay. There is a high chance of recurrence, so I am beginning a maintenance treatment of a parp inhibitor, called Niraparib, next week.
Unfortunately, I was also called back from my annual mammogram last November. I have an area of suspicious calcifications which the doctor thinks is likely to be Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (early breast cancer). They couldn’t do the biopsy during my chemotherapy treatment, so I had the biopsy last week and I’m awaiting results. If the cancer is confirmed, I will have a mastectomy within 4 weeks. Given all that I’ve been through, this is a blow, but my prognosis and recovery from this should be good.
I have now left the company I worked for for 25 years (I was a hairdresser and manager for a large salon group), but I started a Creative Writing Degree in September (writing is my other passion!), I’ve been out walking almost every day and have even been to a few pole classes! I’ve been offered a hairdressing job locally and I can’t wait to resume my life, do the things I love and avoid as much stress as possible!
~Cheryl
Follow and support Cheryl on Instagram @girlintheforge
