a walk-in clinic and asked for a
mammogram. The GP dismissed me
saying, “You’re a young woman with no
symptoms. It’s very unlikely that there’s
anything wrong with you.”
I don’t know what came over me but
I remember hitting the table and telling
him I had a pain, even though I didn’t.
I knew it was the only way he would pay
attention. He didn’t examine me – just
gave me a form and I booked myself
in to be tested there and then. After
the mammogram, I had a call the next
day to let me know they’d identified a
calcification that was highly suspicious.
My nightmare had become a reality.
A biopsy showed I had stage 3 cancer.
I needed a mastectomy and an
operation to remove 15 lymph nodes,
three of which were cancerous.
For me everything exploded. I beat
myself up, saying if only I had listened to
my body sooner and gone to the doctor
four or five months earlier, maybe I would
have needed half the treatment. I was
a volcano of stress, anxiety and despair.
My world was crushed, and I was so
scared for me and my family. My husband
had to tell Rita, Elena and Don that Mum
was ill because I simply couldn’t.
I was completely numb, physically
and emotionally. I didn’t want people
to know I was ill, and still tried to look
nice, but of course it shows in your skin
colour. I needed chemotherapy, but
hoped to keep as much of my hair as
possible, so I used a cold cap during
the treatment. There was still hair loss,
though, and while I couldn’t get on with
wigs, I wore a white cap that I hoped
looked stylish.
The children noticed my physical
appearance changing, and it became
really quiet at home. There always used
to be music and dancing and I enjoyed
entertaining – but all that stopped.
I stayed in my bedroom and when I
came out, I’d see my children looking
at me with sad, questioning looks on
their faces.
But then something changed.
Despite the chemo, I told myself, “If
I have life, I have to live.” I promised
myself I would pass my medical
language exam to work in the UK.
I worked so hard and took the >>Having cancer
gave Vera the
motivation to
regain her
medical career
woman&home IT’S ALL ABoUT YoU! 71