Although Debbra is involved with a support group in her area, she explained why more support specifically for women with advanced breast cancer is needed.
Transcript
I was going to my physio (therapy) for my lymphedema and I think she just had a feeling that it was presenting and it wasn’t going away. We had tried to do a couple of different things so she suggested I had an x-ray. And the x-ray showed that they couldn’t see my 5th and 6th rib very clearly. So again, when you have breast cancer and there’s an ambiguity in any of your test results, always, either have them redone or have the next level of test done. Because thank goodness we had the next level of test done, which was a bone scan, and that’s when we found out that I had gone metastatic. The cancer was in my spine, two of my ribs, three places on my spine, my lungs, and all of my lymph nodes in my chest area were enlarged as well as my arm, in my arm where the original cancer was.
This journey was totally different than last journey, I didn’t do it alone. It was a lot easier. How I was told was just kind of weird but that’s… Because my back was hurting so bad we were assuming I was fine. I guess that’s a big thing for breast cancer survivors, is that if there is pain that doesn’t go away no matter where it is, or discomfort, if you’re just not feeling well, get it checked out sooner rather than later. I had no idea that it could, I don’t know why, I didn’t think it could go into my back but the back, your lungs and your liver and your brain are probably the first places that… that’s the likely places for it to spread, for breast cancer. But the spine and the back are one of them, so if you have persistent pain that doesn’t go away and that starts out not as bad and then increases intensity, then make sure you get things checked out sooner rather than later.
More content
- Alternative and complementary therapies – DebbraCounselling for Debbra is a safe place to speak about some of her worries. She also hopes it will be a 'security blanket' for her son.
- Chemotherapy -DebbraDebbra found another oncologist with the help of a social worker; her experience with chemotherapy improved after that.
- Reconstruction surgery – DebbraThe surgeon would come in, inject Debbra and leave; it was impossible to speak to him.
- Reconstruction surgery – DebbraDebbra describes the variety of prosthetic products.
- Finding and sharing information – DebbraDebbra described some good national resources.
- Relating to health care professionals – DebbraDebbra would show staff the picture of her son to humanize the relationship.
- Relating to health care professionals – DebbraDebbra feels it is possible to disagree with health professionals and communicate that in a polite manner.
- Perspectives on treatment pathways – DebbraDebbra describes moments where she had to fight for care based on her own decisions.
- Testing and diagnosis – DebbraDebbra felt overwhelmed when she was told indirectly that it could be breast cancer.
- First symptoms – DebbraMucinous cancer, such as the kind Debbra was diagnosed with, is rare and difficult to diagnose due to a lack of lump formation.