It was difficult for Annie to wait for several weeks for the test results.
Transcript
So finally, that’s it, I didn’t know. I learned about this almost after one month. Before I knew if I had metastases, I suppose, and other tests to be done. So the month was very long. Especially because I had pain and I told myself, I wasn’t feeling better at all. So I was in a hurry to start the treatment, whatever they were! But that’s it, no, at that moment I had undergone tests to find out if I had metastases. I had undergone the bone scan and the CT scan*(Computerized Axial Tomography Scan).
And that’s it. Finally everything was fine contrary to what the surgeon had thought. And I was lucky because what I see from other women with inflammatory cancer, the majority of women are being told at first that it is an infection. So they are being prescribed antibiotics, and the sickness continues to progress. So when I knew that I was, that I had metastases, I was very happy to have found a doctor that told me the very first time, that was vigilant enough to think that it could be it.
*CT scan: Body scan that produces cross section images of the body’s internal structures.
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- Reconstruction surgery – AnnieAnnie had a lot of skin removed due to her inflammatory breast cancer; she was advised to wait 2 years before thinking about reconstruction.
- Surgery – AnnieAnnie describes how she felt immediately after having a double mastectomy.
- Relating to health care professionals – AnnieAnnie expected to have to fight to be able to switch healthcare professionals but it was an easy process.
- Testing and diagnosis – AnnieWhen Annie heard she needed a follow-up she underwent most testing within a day in a private clinic.
- First symptoms – AnnieAnnie, diagnosed with a rare form of inflammatory breast cancer, noticed that her breast was red, hot, painful, and swollen.
- Work and finances – AnnieThe support from colleagues does not always happen as we would like, explains Annie.
- Recurrent and metastatic (advanced) breast cancer – AnnieIt was difficult for Annie to wait for several weeks for the test results.
- Follow-up care and the risk of recurrence – AnnieAnnie had support through a Facebook group involving women in a similar situation.