Friends For Life
Pick Me Up !|February 06, 2020
Joanna Terrell, 31, from Plymouth, bonded with her childhood friend over a traumatic diagnosis…
Friends For Life
Friends For Life

Pouring a drink and chatting away to my friends, I was feeling festive and jolly.

It was Christmas Eve 2015, and my husband Jason, 31, and I were hosting a party at home.

I was enjoying the evening until I lifted my right arm up and noticed a lump in my skin, the size of a Malteser.

‘What do you think this is?’ I asked my friends, pointing to the outskirts of my armpit.

‘Might be a cyst,’ they agreed. ‘It doesn’t hurt,’ I shrugged. I decided to book a doctor’s appointment to check it out, and two weeks later I was having a scan.

‘I’d like to take a biopsy to be sure,’ the doctor said.

They wouldn’t do a biopsy for a cyst, I thought.

My gut feeling was that it was something bad.

Whilst I waited for the results, I celebrated my 28th birthday with friends.

And just two days after my birthday, I was called back into the doctors with the results.

I am strong-willed and stubborn and didn’t tell Jason about my appointment in case he worried, but I did tell my dad, Steve, 67.

‘I’ll be fine by myself,’ I promised him.

Sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, I had the first appointment of the day.

Looking at the clock, I was starting to feel nervous.

And then the doors burst open and I turned to see my dad walking through.

‘You’re not doing it alone,’ he said strongly.

Thankful, I felt so relieved to see his face.

Dad waited on a seat outside my room whilst I went in.

‘You’ve got breast cancer, Joanna,’ the doctor explained.

My gut instinct was right. Neither my friends nor family had ever had breast cancer, it was scary to hear.

I sat and listened as the doctor ran through the process with me, then my dad was called into the room with me.

Suddenly, I was so grateful that he’d came along.

This story is from the February 06, 2020 edition of Pick Me Up !.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the February 06, 2020 edition of Pick Me Up !.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM PICK ME UP !View All
ACCEPTING MYSELF
Pick Me Up !

ACCEPTING MYSELF

Claire Panchel, 32, from Burgess Hill, neglected her condition for years...

time-read
3 mins  |
March 09, 2023
WHAT'S BURNING?!
Pick Me Up !

WHAT'S BURNING?!

When Leanne Chatfield, 32, from Brighton, smelt smoke coming from her kitchen, she couldn't help but panic...

time-read
2 mins  |
March 09, 2023
SOMETHING STOLEN
Pick Me Up !

SOMETHING STOLEN

Kayleigh Hanrahan, 29, from Wigan, never expected to lose so much on her wedding day...

time-read
4 mins  |
March 09, 2023
FOCUSED ON NOW
Pick Me Up !

FOCUSED ON NOW

Stephanie Edwards, 33, from Bridgwater, Somerset, is watching her little girl become a human statue in front of her eyes...

time-read
6 mins  |
March 09, 2023
A HAND TO HOLD
Pick Me Up !

A HAND TO HOLD

Amy Brown, 29, from Kent, just wanted to take her children out to the park on her own...

time-read
6 mins  |
March 09, 2023
JUST GETTING STARTED
Pick Me Up !

JUST GETTING STARTED

When Shelby Laidlaw, 30, from London, split from her partner Hassan, she had no idea how he was able to keep tabs on what she was doing...

time-read
9 mins  |
March 09, 2023
TASTES LIKE LOVE
Pick Me Up !

TASTES LIKE LOVE

Felicia DiSalvo, 21, flew all the way to Manchester for some British culture…

time-read
3 mins  |
March 02, 2023
LURKING AT LUNCH
Pick Me Up !

LURKING AT LUNCH

Carolyn Byington popped home for a bite to eat, unaware of an intruder that would make her regret that very decision…

time-read
5 mins  |
March 02, 2023
LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX
Pick Me Up !

LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX

Jenn Hanniston, 34, from Essex, and hubby Brad love stripping off to an audience...

time-read
6 mins  |
March 02, 2023
CODE RED
Pick Me Up !

CODE RED

When Victoria Lang, 31, from Banton, North Lanarkshire, experienced a period that was a cause of concern she never thought it would reveal something far more disturbing…

time-read
7 mins  |
March 02, 2023