Home Michelle Bugeja

Michelle Bugeja

Craigieburn, Vic Diagnosed age 37 I was single at the time so I went to my mammogram and doctor's appointments alone. I didn't really expect them to tell me I had cancer.                                                                                                                                   Michelle Bugeja I am a 39 year old woman living with breast cancer. I was first diagnosed 2 years ago at the age of 37. It was such a shock. No-one in my family had breast cancer; I never expected that the lump I found would be cancer. I thought it may be a cyst at the most. I was single at the time so I went to my mammogram and doctor's appointments alone. I didn't really expect them to tell me I had cancer. I remember going to see the breast surgeon thinking it would just be another doctor's appointment and if I needed further tests I could arrange to have my mum come with me later. Boy was I wrong. My doctor looked at my mammogram and showed me some spots which he said looked like cancer, and I would need a biopsy to make sure. I was in shock but thought I would have a few days to get used to the idea. Wrong again. He arranged the biopsy for that day. So I had the biopsy on my own. As I was lying on the table, ready for them to start, I couldn't handle it anymore: I broke down. The nurse looking after me was great. She handed me tissues and asked me if I still wanted to go ahead with the biopsy. Naturally I didn't really want to, but I said yes - I'm here now let's get it over with. Everything seemed to happen so quickly. From then on I took my mum and dad with me to all my doctor's appointments. The biopsy showed a grade 3 cancer. I decided to have a lumpectomy and hope I wouldn't need a mastectomy later. Luckily I didn't. The cancer hadn't spread to the lymph nodes, but I needed chemotherapy and radiation, as I was young and they wanted to give me the best chance of it not recurring. The treatments weren't that much fun, as I'm sure everyone who has been through it knows, but I got through it and my life started to look good again. I was happy and healthy, work was going well, my kids were doing well and I met a great guy who really seems to understand me. Now almost 2 years exactly since my first diagnosis, I have another breast cancer in the other breast. This time the doctors recommended a bi-lateral mastectomy. I decided to go ahead with this as it gave me a 98% chance of not having yet another recurrence. I couldn't ignore those odds. It is now just over a week since my mastectomy and I am at home recovering. My partner has been fantastic, we don't live together but he has been here everyday to make sure I'm ok and see if I need anything. My 16 year old daughter has also been a big help. My journey is still continuing and it looks like I may need chemotherapy and radiation again. Even though I wish I didn't need it, I know I will get through it. I am still coming to terms with my new body and I will probably have reconstruction later. For now I am trying to take things step by step. Last Updated 7 December 2007