I'm new to this site. I was directed to it from Facebook. I was 37 when I detected a lump in my breast. I saw my GP the same day as I discovered the lump & within two weeks, I had an appointment at the hospital. It was here that things started to go wrong! The "specialist" I saw was not an oncologist, but a general health surgeon. He diagnosed mastitis, even though I had never had it before, even when I breast fed both my children. He took a needle biopsy, but the results were inconclusive & I was asked to return 3 months later. Returning, I saw another doctor, under the specialist, who again took a needle biopsy & when he asked what the specialist had said, I told him mastitis & he replied, yes I think so too! Come back in 3 months. Returning once again, I saw yet another doctor & the same thing happened & come back in 3 months! Perhaps I was naïve, but by this time I was starting to feel that things were not right. Even with mastitis, it should have cleared up & it hadn't! So at the end of the now 9 month period, I insisted on seeing the "top" man & would not be fobbed off with yet another new doctor! Well he came in 10 minutes later & I told him I needed more to be done. His reaction "Why? Have you still got the lump?" Don't these doctors ever talk to one another? It was arranged for me to go in for a surgical biopsy the following week. The day before I was due to go in, I had a phone call; the operation was cancelled. When I asked why, it was said that they had to reschedule because a lady with bad stomach cancer, needed to be treated urgently. I said ok but asked when I would be rescheduled myself: answer "don't know!" So I did the only thing open to me, I made a private appointment with the same Doctor & surprise, surprise, he could do it the same day as I should have it at the local hospital! Funny how money talks! The biopsy was done & I was told he would ring me when the results came in & I went home. 3 days later, I got the phone call: he did not ask if I had someone with me nor asked if I was sat down! He blurted it over the phone "sorry it's cancer!" Can I come & see you? Remembering I was still going private! The eventual total for the diagnosis, 9 months 3 weeks & 2 days! So the Dr arrived & my husband asked him a load of questions whilst I sat opposite, not saying anything! When this was commented on, I said "What can I say? For the time it takes a woman to have a baby from start to finish, it has taken you that long to find out I have cancer!" I was not happy! But I didn't shout or rave & I think this in itself shouted louder than if I had screamed & shouted! Because of the seriousness of the cancer & the delay, I had to have a radical mastectomy. Everything had to be taken, including all the lymph nodes from under my arm. After recovering from the operation, I was told I wouldn't need chemo, but I would have to have some intensive radiotherapy. I had to stay in the hospital for the whole duration of the radiotherapy as it boiled the excessive acid in my stomach & stripped off the lining, which made me feel a lot worse than I should have been! By the time all the treatment was finished, I had become very angry & frustrated. Even asking to talk with someone brought an unresponsive comment from the doctor. At this time, the MacMillan nurses were only just starting, so I had no info of where to get in touch & the Doctor asked me why did I want to talk to someone. I couldn't understand why he was being so presumptuous about me not seeing someone! I still feel anger when I look back at what occurred. The doctor wouldn't even perform a breast reconstruction, 2 years after the treatment. He told me the prognosis was only 6 years & almost everyone with the type of cancer I had, did not survive passed that 6 year mark. I told him I would not accept that prognosis & I would see him retired! I did! But, 25 years & I still feel that anger & frustration bubbling under the surface when I think of all that I went through! Is this normal? I have still not spoken with anyone face to face & I struggle to maintain that strong, brave appearance because people think you should be "over" it! As much as I try to forgive, I find my insides roiling & am at a loss to what I can do about it especially with the long period of time since I first started out on this journey! Has anyone got any suggestions as to what I could do? I want a positive conclusion to all this as its only hurting me holding all this in!