Stewart

Can you tell me about the moment you first found out you needed to undergo tests or scans?

Pam

It started with breast cancer, then it became secondary bone cancer, which is terminal, and it's now gone into my liver, which is even more terminal. I'm on a deadline, but there again, you just fight it and do as much as you can. Although the diagnosis of the breast cancer was a long time ago, I remember the diagnosis was a complete shock. I found I had a lump, and it was a fairly big lump. I went to the doctors and he said I’ll refer you over to the oncology unit.

Stewart 

What kind of tests or scans were you sent for, and how were they explained to you?

Pam

I didn't have any scans as that wasn’t common practice so long ago. It was a biopsy, which was quite painful. The doctor revealed that she'd had breast cancer as well. All mates together as you’d say. In those days, it was actually ten days to two weeks between doing the biopsy and getting the results. Not like now sometimes. From the result of the biopsy to having a mastectomy was 10 days. There was no hanging around.

I was very active on the archery scene. The programme for the summer was already sorted and I had to make one change. I phoned this guy up, and I spoke to his wife, and asked if he could take over just one day for me, because I will be in the hospital and, thankfully, he agreed.

Stewart

Did you recover quickly?

Pam

Ten days after the mastectomy  operation, I was back out on the archery field. My team looked out for me like nobody's business. It was really a case of, “right, there’s a chaise lounge for Pam”, then shortly after a notice appeared: "Pam's - bog off!”. If I got up, then there was “Where are you going?”, “I'm going to the toilet.”, “Are you sure? You’ll come straight back!”  It was a great feeling to have so much support.

Stewart

When was the first scan? You didn't have one for breast cancer, but you had one for the secondary cancer?

Pam

I was diagnosed in 2020 with secondary bone cancer, which was a result of a blood test. I think it was a CT scan.

Stewart

And what was the experience like of that scan?

Pam

At that stage, I half expected my cancer to return  even after 17-18 years. So I half expected it when I had a blood test because I had a very bad  backache. Doctors suggested blood tests, so I said ok, fine. Then two days later, I had a phone call from my old consultant. It was secondary breast cancer in my bones

Stewart

It must still have been a shock, even if you were half expecting it?

Pam

Yes, it was a shock after so long.

Stewart

You say you were half expecting it? Was there anything you were told when you'd had your first cancer that there was a possibility of it coming back but in a different form?

Pam

My surgeon  sort of vaguely suggested it and like most people who have had cancer, it’s always in the back of your mind. 

It was when the surgeon who’d operated said they thought they’d got it all but they weren’t certain it was all clear. As the lump was very near the ribcage; they couldn’t guarantee they could get it all out. I had regular MRI scans, and I had bone cancer pockets, and over time, it's slowly become worse.

Stewart

It sounds like you didn't have to wait very long to get the results of those scans. I mean, you knew pretty quickly. 

Pam

It was before COVID. It must have been 2 or 3 weeks, I suppose. After COVID, it was anything like 5 or 8 weeks for results.

I’ve had CT scans and further MRI scans. I had the first MRI in Peterborough, then I went back to Stamford for MRIs. Over the years, I've got to know most of the oncology nurses! 

Part of the treatment involved an injection to try and curb the bad bone cancer cells and to promote the good cells. I also have to have blood tests every six weeks. Unfortunately, the nurses have a problem finding a vein so I now go to the Oncology Department to have them done and they normally get in first time!

Stewart

Did you get any side effects from those injections? 

Pam

Generally speaking, no. I don’t mind the injections. It's taking the blood that has the problem. Joan will certainly agree with me on that one.

Stewart

Have your experiences of  testing and treatment changed over time? 

Pam

Not really. You know, the first time I had to have chemotherapy every three weeks. And I did have a bad reaction to that. You feel sick for the first 2 or 3 days, although you're given anti-sickness tablets. You really can't do anything, you've got no get-up-and-go.

Don't particularly want to eat. You have no taste or smell. The only thing I could taste right the way through the chemo was curry. That lasted for over a year and I still don’t have a proper sense of taste.

Stewart

And that was for six months? 

Pam

Yes, and then I had radiotherapy afterwards. I had to go to Addenbrooke's every day for three weeks. Monday to Friday. Pre A14.

Stewart

That's a pain having to go down there every day. 

Pam

We didn't think about the journey at the start, but then we did consider taking the caravan down, but that proved difficult in the end, as there are no caravan sites. 

It took a minute and a half to do the radiotherapy. You walked straight in and straight out. But the whole thing might have been about three hours.

Stewart

So, you’ve had treatment at all three places, Stamford, Peterborough, and Addenbrooke’s?

Pam

Yes.  I suppose my greatest regret was the amount of paperwork that you were given at the end of your treatment. To me, it was 5 years of treatment. They basically said, If you are offered a trial, take it, which I did. For two and a half years, I was on tamoxifen, then I changed to letrozole for two and a half years, which is the one I am on now. Then they told me I was cancer free and gave me a pile of paperwork. I didn’t really want to go through that lot. 

Stewart

It's easier not to address it or think about it, to just get on with things?

Pam

But it didn't really tell you much, to my way of thinking. The state you were feeling anyway, you didn't particularly want to phone anybody or get in contact with anyone. I was so tired, washed out. 

Stewart

What advice would you be able to give someone who's going through that today?

Pam

I’ve been able to help two or three people. I became a mentor, telling it how it was 17 years ago, which is obviously all different now. I’ve mentored two or three people just recently in the last three years.

We have a very good network. We have coffee mornings in the village. I've got back into the swing of things. They welcome you like a long-lost friend there and then, which is great. 

Stewart

So, have your experiences with the healthcare side of things been positive?

Pam

Generally speaking, they are pretty good. The oncology side is great. 

Stewart

Have you found it difficult to mentor people? 

Pam

Not really. I’m very open-minded to be perfectly honest. 

Stewart

Do you think your attitude to telling friends and family has changed compared to when you were first diagnosed with breast cancer? 

Pam

Yes, I was scared. And it was a bit of a bolt from the blue. I was scared to tell my two children. I didn’t know what their reaction would be. We’ve always been an open family.

Stewart

How did you get you got involved with the cancer support group?

Pam

I had my arm twisted. Joan said, ‘You're on the committee!’. That was it. Full stop. Yeah, I haven't been able to do much, but I go to meetings and vote for things. You can understand people coming to the group and say thinking about it, but it's not for me. They're not coming again. It's a shame because I really would like to see a lot more people come and make friendships, like the ‘boys’ have done.