💗So i finally feel like I’m ready to share our story💗

💗I’ve decided to do it because I want to raise awareness for family and friends💗

💗Here’s 1 of 3 of my phoebe from friends “Tattoo of earth as seen from a great distance” tattooed dots, something I wish I wanted and not that I need💗 (picture in comments)

On January 7th 2019, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. More specifically Grade 2, Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, HER2-, ER+, meaning it’s hormone produced.

On the 19th December 2018, I went for a mammogram because of a little lump I found in my right breast but mostly because of an aching annoying dull pain I had constantly that just wouldn’t go away. After putting it off for weeks I went to my docs who referred me to the breast clinic. Once I had the mamo and walked up to the clinic, i was seen quite quickly, examined by the doc and told that what I went for was absolutely fine! Phew...but, they had unexpectedly found a shadow deep next to my breast bone so immediate biopsies needed, which was done there and then. I cannot say just how unbelievably amazing the staff were to me as I think I was in shock! Waiting over the Christmas holidays obviously was hard as I’ve been for a few mammograms and breast clinic appointments before and alls been fine but this had obviously threw me into a bit of a spin. I got the phone call Friday jan 4th to come in on Monday, I knew then that it wasn’t good as I’ve never been callled in so soon. Monday I decided to go alone as if it was gonna be bad I’ll deal with it first. The consultant came in with a nurse and my heart sank and god love her, she was just to the point, Mrs Reith, I’m sorry but there were cancerous cells found in your biopsy and we have a surgery space for you in 3 weeks to remove the tumor and any lymph nodes affected too. 3 weeks later and surgery (which was eventful to say the least!) then 2 week to go back for results. Results day, consultant says all looks good, BEST OF ALL, LYMPH NODES CLEAR🙌🏼! (If it has spread to your lymph nodes it’s possible it’s passed through and spread to other parts of your body). Unfortunately the clear margins around affected area weren’t enough so 2nd surgery in 3 days time which was Valentine’s Day😕. I’ve had weeks to recover but it’s amazing how much it hit me physically and mentally, i cried a lot! Any parent can understand getting told something that may take you away from your beautiful baby. I started suffering from unbelievable fatigue for weeks (I could sleep a whole weekend away no problems!😳) suffered from bloody sore cording (which you don’t get told you can get) severe pain in my poor boob! Which had settled but now aggravated as the nerves are recovering😕. I’ve also to take 10 years of hormone therapy which gives me severe bone pain from deep in my shoulder joints to my finger tips and from deep in my hip joint to my toes...but I’m here💗
Because of the type of cancer it is, I don’t need chemo as it just wouldn’t have any effect (breast cancer treatments nowadays are amazing, completely tailored to you as a person and not like in the old days just given as standard) which as a family we’ve found a blessing but I do start radiotherapy next month.

💗Im wanting to raise awareness about timing and breast pain!!!! This needs to be caught early, early diagnosing in imperative! I’m blessed that my doctor acted quickly and so did the clinic because from the time I had my biopsy to my first surgery my cancer had started to change, wanting to spread and grow as new DCIS (pre-cancerous cells) had already started to grow outside of the tumour site...if I had left it for another month or so we’d be in a very different position, especially since the tumour was so deep, by the time I’d been able to feel it, it would have been way to late for my positive outcome now💗 Also I want to tell women to say I want a second opinion on breast pain! I’m sooooooo angry (which has made me decide to share this) with some doctors. A poor young woman, Kate McIver who’s story has totally touched me, went to her docs at the age of 28 with breast pain and was told to take antibiotics for a blocked duct instead of sending her to hospital to get checked. By the time she went back to docs and was referred and checked, it was too late for Kate and she was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer which she beat and got the all clear only for it to come back 18 months later and sadly passed away in February this year leaving her husband and 4 year old daughter. It breaks my heart as I absolutely feel that if she wasn’t sent away she might still be here and/or had more time. You don’t get told about breast pain as a clear sign but it is! GET IT CHECKED!💗

💗Also...(If you’ve got this far, thank you!) Ray and I are doing the Culture Walk for our Maggie’s Centre here at the hospital who help people/family and friends who have been affected by Cancer in some way. They offer a whole host of services/complimentary therapies/private counselling or even just wander in for a cup of tea! They are always welcoming and have been a help to us so far and will be more as I’m heading into my final stage of treatment (Radiotherapy). They also gave us the courage to tell our gorgeous Ella who’s taken all this in her stride, we’ve never hidden anything from her except exactly the name of what was wrong till last week, we thought it’s time and she just was like, ok, no big deal, your fine...I had cooking at school today!!!😂😂😂. She loved being at Maggie’s and it’s a beautiful tranquil balanced place and we as a family want to give something back to it for others who might need it in the future, so PLEASE🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 we’d love it if anybody could sponsor us💗

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/donnareith

💗And finally BUT most importantly!!!!!!! I want to thank my family and friends, you have all rocked!!! Especially my mum (Karen Hay) and dad (Bryan Alexander Bryan Alexander Hay), my auntie Andrea Matthew, sister Stevie Fraser & Co, Sarah Taylor, Stephanie Campbell & Co, Shelley Reith & Co, Kathleen Campbell and our gorgeous friends Carolyn &Scott Forrest💜 BUT Especially my amazing husband who’s had to just take on absolutely soooooo much these past months whilst I’ve had appointments/surgeries/slept and recovered💙💙You are my world and I appreciate you so so much, I could not have done this without you by my side, keeping me focused and together when I was so low, 26 years and you truly are my best friend💙💗

💗Thank you to all who’s read this💗 xxx