For a split second I flew through the air before landing with a thud on the ground.
I looked up at my daughter’s worried face and smiled, joking that I thought I had popped a breast. I had no idea that trip would save my life.
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It was April 2018 when I went to help my daughter Lauren, now 32, move into her new apartment. There was an ugly metal curtain that the sellers had left in the bay window.
I’m not clumsy, but when I tried to pull it down, my feet got tangled in the long, looped cord. One moment I was standing upright, the next next on the way to the floor.
It took me a few seconds to realize what had just happened. Lauren and I were both pretty shocked that I hadn’t just hit my head on a concrete heater, but thankfully I was okay, except for one of my F-cup breasts, which had gotten badly crushed when I landed on it.
Two days later I was lying in bed when I remembered my fall again. My breasts were not sore but I thought I should feel them quickly to make sure there was no damage.
Then I discovered a lump the size of a golf ball at the bottom of my right breast.
I didn’t tell anyone I was going to the doctor. I thought it would be stupid to worry them about a bruise on my chest.
One in seven women in the UK will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.*
About three-quarters of people diagnosed with the disease survive for 10 years or longer.*
I was still calm when I told my husband Graham that the doctor had referred me for scans at the hospital. It was only during a biopsy 13 days later that the panic crept in.
I wouldn’t need this if it was just a bruise, would I? Then the specialist told me there was a 50/50 chance I had cancer, but that they would know more when the results came back in 10 days.
The shock was so great, I denied it straight away. I was too young for cancer. I had two children, Lauren and her younger brother Kieron, 30, who needed me.
I didn’t tell them anything, even though we celebrated my 48th birthday a few days later.
When I came back and heard the doctor say, “I’m afraid it’s cancer,” I immediately said, “You’ve got the wrong prescription.” It seemed impossible. It wasn’t until they gave Graham and me a minute alone that the tears came.
The children were devastated. I explained that doctors were looking for a cure and that this would involve chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy.
It was a huge relief when further scans showed that the cancer had not spread, but that it was a very aggressive form.
In the past I hardly ever thought about looking at my breasts. If I hadn’t stumbled over that blind, I would never have noticed the lump. Where would I have been?
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‘So grateful’
The fear struck at odd times, like when I was watching a travel programme about Croatia with Graham and suddenly realised that I might never go on holiday again, or that I might not make it to Christmas.
Physically the treatment was tough. I had chemo between June and November 2018, then surgery to remove the lump in December and radiotherapy started in January 2019.
But I was so thankful for my wonderful family. We were always joking and laughing, and that’s how we always got through the hard times.
I started blogging after my diagnosis. It was the perfect way to express my emotions and keep people informed without having to talk about it all the time.
In October 2022 I turned my blog into a book. It was great to hear from other women about their experiences with cancer.
I just want to make the most of the second chance that autumn has given me
Fortunately, my treatment was successful. I am still taking medication, but I had my last annual mammogram in July 2023 and was discharged from the breast clinic in December.
Cancer has changed me. I’ve done crazy things like paragliding off a mountain in Turkey and abseiling off the top of a hospital to raise money for Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity.
I try to say yes to things now, even if they scare me. I still think about how lucky I was to land flat on my face in Lauren’s apartment.
If it wasn’t for that ugly metal blind, I might not be alive now. I just want to make the most of the second chance that autumn has given me.
- But seriously, who would have thought? My Cancer (and Other Bits) Story by Melanie Green is available from Amazon.co.uk.
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What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
BREAST CANCER is the most common form of cancer in the UK.
Most women who develop breast cancer are over 50, but younger women and, in rare cases, men can also develop breast cancer.
If breast cancer is treated early enough, it can be prevented from spreading to other parts of the body.
Breast cancer can have a variety of symptoms, but the first noticeable symptom is usually a lump or thickened area in the breast.
Most breast lumps are not cancerous, but it is always best to have them checked out by your doctor. You should also talk to your doctor if you notice any of the following:
- a change in the size or shape of one or both breasts
- discharge from one of your nipples (which may be streaked with blood)
- a lump or swelling in one of your armpits
- dimples in the skin of your breasts
- a rash on or around your nipple
- a change in the appearance of your nipple, such as it sinking into your breast
Source: NHS
