I can remember finding my lump like it was yesterday.

I was scratching my armpit in the middle of the night and, bam, there it was. At 4 am on a random Sunday morning in February, my whole world would change.

Over 4 years have passed since that day and, while it took quite a detour, my world is getting back on track.

When I first found the lump I had been running Kicks Count for several years. My mission since my own son Toby was born sleeping has been to tell every pregnant woman how important her baby's movements are. If she notices a reduction, she must call her Maternity Unit immediately.

I always try to emphasize the urgency with pregnant women. Do not delay. Chances are it will be fine, but the consequences are catastrophic if it isn't, so don’t take that chance. A minor inconvenience over a lifetime of regret is a chance worth taking. So on finding the lump, I didn't hesitate in getting to the doctor. First thing on Monday morning I was getting it checked.

A few weeks later, on the 10^th March 2016, I got the diagnosis I was dreading. I had invasive lobular breast cancer. 

I had cancer

Whether I had gone to the doctor then or a year later, it would still have been cancer. But going when I did there were treatment options.

Treatment was going to be a double mastectomy, 6 rounds of chemotherapy, 3 years zolodronic acid, prophylactic ovary removal, and 10 years of letrizole. It sounds a lot, but the longer I’d left it to get diagnosed, the less options I would have had, until eventually there would be only one … end of life care.

 

Yes, life was quite peculiar for a while. Really tough. But the most important thing to me is I still have a life.

It may have taken a back seat for a year, while I had my treatment, but thanks to my diagnosis and treatment plan I have many, many more years to look forward to. And that’s a good trade-off.

Life is for Living

When I finished chemo I didn’t think I would be physically capable of doing anything again. I thought I would feel like a cancer patient forever.

But I’ve got my life back. I’ve climbed Ben Nevis, my hair has grown back, I’ve had two serious boyfriends (not at the same time!), been on numerous dates. I’ve gambled in Vegas, learned to ski in the Alps, watched hours of Netflix, had a bill to ban home dopplers put through parliament, appeared on This Morning with Holly and Phil, taken naps, welcomed a niece and 2 nephews … I’ve lived. 

Check Your Breasts

My advice to everyone is, if you have cancer, you are going to hear those words sooner or later. It's better to hear them sooner. No doctor in the history of medicine has prescribed “just sit and worry for a while” as an effective treatment. So check your breasts. Report it IMMEDIATELY if you notice anything unusual. Your doctor will still want see you, despite the pandemic.