Derek B – Interview 24
After his diagnosis of breast cancer he had to wait three months to have his mastectomy because of breathing problems. He then had radiotherapy over a six week period. He then had tamoxifen which caused him to gain weight.
While Derek was seeing his doctor about a breathing problem, he mentioned that he had been having an intermittent itching around his nipple over the previous month or so. The GP immediately commented that men can get breast cancer, which Derek hadn’t realised before. Within two weeks of seeing the GP, he had had a biopsy which confirmed that he had breast cancer. Unfortunately, he then had to wait for 3 months before he could have his mastectomy because his breathing problems prevented him from having an anaesthetic. Derek had had an embolism in his lung about 15 months earlier and continues to be on Warfarin.
Derek lives on his own, so after the operation he stayed with his son and daughter-law to recuperate. They were very supportive. His operation wound took some time to heal. He still feels a little self-conscious about his scar and he was quite surprised by it when he first saw the wound after the operation.
He had radiotherapy once a week over a 6 week period after his mastectomy, and then started on tamoxifen which made him put on weight but otherwise had no adverse side effects.
He has not felt the need to be at all secretive about having breast cancer and has had good support from his family and friends and the breast care nurses, although he doesn’t like to bother them for too much help. Most people have been surprised to hear that he has had breast cancer, but most of them have been interested and curious to hear about his experiences. He would like to have been able to find out from other men with breast cancer whether they had felt the same about things as he had. He has talked to a (female) neighbour about her experience of having breast cancer. In general he thinks it is easier to talk to women because men may be more embarrassed unless they have had breast cancer themselves.
Up until his embolism he had been very healthy. He tries not to worry about things that he can’t do anything about, and generally keeps a positive attitude to life.