John – Interview 33
John noticed some blood on his shirt and visited his GP. He soon had a minor operation but the growth was benign. 10 years later John noticed a disfigured nipple, and was diagnosed with breast cancer. He underwent radiotherapy, chemotherapy and took tamoxifen and Arimidex. John also had a heart attack.
John noticed blood on his shirt but had no signs of a cut, and went to see his GP. He was quickly referred on to the hospital, and told he had cancer and would require a minor operation. The biopsy was benign. Ten years later, John noticed that the same nipple had changed shape. He saw his GP promptly and was once again referred to the hospital, where he underwent a mammography and fluid was taken from his chest. The tests showed that John had cancer and he was told he would need a major operation. John was initially stunned but accepted his diagnosis and decided that a positive approach to the cancer and treatment would be the best option. John told both of his adult daughters – one was very distressed and the other seemed to take in in her stride.; He also told his friends, and both friends and family were very supportive. Before diagnosis, John did not really know any details about breast cancer, and was the first in his family to have cancer.
John describes feeling scared and uncertain when he went for his operation. Following the operation, he had a drain under his arm for around 20 days, which was longer than he had expected. John was told that he would need to have radiotherapy every day for six weeks. The radiotherapy went smoothly for three weeks, without side effects, until John started to have trouble breathing. Tests showed that John had had a heart attack, and he was kept in hospital for three weeks, during which three blood clots were found. John then received the remaining three weeks of radiotherapy, but this was not successful and he was told he would need to have chemotherapy. The chemotherapy treatment involved a combination of four drugs. John read in the information that he was given that one of the drugs could cause secondary cancer within five years and after this decided not to read much cancer information, although his youngest daughter did. He was also prescribed tamoxifen which he tool for a while before changing to Arimidex, which he will continue to take for many years. Whilst John did not experience any side effects from tamoxifen or Arimidex, he found the effects of the chemotherapy drugs horrendous.; Effects included gritty eyes, headaches, mouth ulcers, skin rashes, nausea, shakes and extreme tiredness. He did not experience any hair loss. John still experiences some irritability and short-temperedness, as well as some problems with short term memory, which he feels is as a result of the chemotherapy. During his treatment, John found the Macmillan nurses very supportive.