Breast Cancer Awareness Part 2 - I Found a Lump

When I was 12 I found a lump.

A big, painful lump,on the outside of my right breast, adjacent to my nipple.

As you can imagine, as a young girl, just started secondary school and already having a tough time with a messy parent break up, this knocked me for six! I was, I am, a worrier.

My mum & I went to the doctors the very next day and was seen my GP who prescribed me with a course of antibioitics and said it'd go down.. nothing to worry about, 'just a cyst'.

And so I took them. And the pain went down, but the lump remained.

Eight years, three courses of antibiotics, countless GP appointments and two trips to the breast clinic (at 13 & 16 ) the lump is stil there.

I will never forget my last appointment at the breast clinic. The doctor was an hour late. He walked in, took one look at my young 16 year old face and laughed. 'There's nothing wrong with you, you're wasting my time.' He walked out.

I felt stupid. Was I making a big deal out of nothing? Should I just ignore it? Suck it up?

Now though, the lump is bigger than it was and painful most of the time. The pain is less isolated and has spread to under my armpit. Some days I cannot even wear a bra. It is effecting my moods. My relationship. My confidence.

Back in  January, I went to the doctors again to be examined. This time by a different GP, one I have a lot of confidence in.

He examined, poked, prodded and compared.

'It's just a cyst' He said. But like no other had, he explained how he knew & what that meant.

The lump can be moved slightly, which indicates that it is not a cancerous lump, nor one that is likely to 'become cancerous' which if I'm honest, aside form the pain has been my biggest worry. That what is now 'just a cyst' might one day become something more.

After a long conversation, discussing all of the pros and cons, he agreed to refer me to breast clinic once more. This time stating how he felt that due to the limitations it is causing, the lump should be removed.

I would receive a letter in the post with my appointment date and time 'shortly'.

We are now in April, and I am still waiting for the letter.