In the summer of 2018, while performing a self-examination, I felt a painful, protruding mass in my breast, an alarming discovery that sent waves of fear through my being.
I lost my mother to breast cancer, a battle that began in one breast and ultimately consumed her life. The painful memories of her struggle to survive resurfaced and intensified my emotions as I recognized the uncertainty of the future that lay ahead of me.
I never imagined that placing my trust in the medical professionals at Sophiahemmet, Christinakliniken, particularly the oncology team led by Dr. Michael Szep, would lead me down such a life-changing path.
I lost my mother to breast cancer, a battle that began in one breast and ultimately consumed her life. The painful memories of her struggle to survive resurfaced and intensified my emotions as I recognized the uncertainty of the future that lay ahead of me.
I never imagined that placing my trust in the medical professionals at Sophiahemmet, Christinakliniken, particularly the oncology team led by Dr. Michael Szep, would lead me down such a life-changing path.
What I expected to be a straightforward medical visit for timely treatment turned into an experience marked by negligence, resulting in invasive surgery, aggressive therapies, severe side effects, intense anxiety, and lasting repercussions that have irrevocably altered the course of my life, all stemming from the negligence of this clinic and its doctors.
After undergoing several mammograms, ultrasounds, and painful biopsies, I received reassurance from Dr. Szep that the lump was not a cause for concern.
His reassurance eased my anxieties; I didn’t have to worry about cancer! However, due to the discomfort and pain I felt from the lump, I asked Dr. Szep to remove it through a lumpectomy.
To my surprise, Dr. Szep denied my request, explaining that the surgery would be considered elective rather than urgent. He suggested that we revisit my request during a follow-up appointment in 2019.
His reassurance eased my anxieties; I didn’t have to worry about cancer! However, due to the discomfort and pain I felt from the lump, I asked Dr. Szep to remove it through a lumpectomy.
To my surprise, Dr. Szep denied my request, explaining that the surgery would be considered elective rather than urgent. He suggested that we revisit my request during a follow-up appointment in 2019.
The lingering effects of Christinakliniken's negligence persist in 2025. I continue to suffer from the aftermath of the mastectomy that could have been avoided if my lump had been removed when I requested it back in 2018.
This negligence among several side effects resulted in the loss of my breast, depriving me of my sense of womanhood.
The surgery resulted in a frozen shoulder that, in addition to being extremely painful, severely limits the range of motion of my left arm. It also caused a chronic seroma that has stubbornly persisted for six long years and requires draining every couple of weeks by inserting a long needle into my chest, impacting my nerves and well-being.
I faced a range of side effects, among them allergies and constant itching, that have profoundly affected my quality of life, creating a permanent change that I never anticipated.
Besides living with chronic pain, insomnia, and several allergies—some of which are life-threatening—I also have reduced function in my knee joints and fingers due to anti-estrogen medications affecting my joints, which have significantly impacted and hindered my mobility.
Additionally, I have gained weight and struggle with anxiety and despair. The loss of my breast has deeply impacted me, and I am still waiting for the reconstruction surgery that never seems to happen.
I faced a range of side effects, among them allergies and constant itching, that have profoundly affected my quality of life, creating a permanent change that I never anticipated.
Besides living with chronic pain, insomnia, and several allergies—some of which are life-threatening—I also have reduced function in my knee joints and fingers due to anti-estrogen medications affecting my joints, which have significantly impacted and hindered my mobility.
Additionally, I have gained weight and struggle with anxiety and despair. The loss of my breast has deeply impacted me, and I am still waiting for the reconstruction surgery that never seems to happen.
Misdiagnosis of breast cancer has numerous detrimental effects, such as needless mastectomy surgery. Unnecessary radiation or chemotherapy with long-lasting and dangerous side effects.
Delayed treatment allows the cancer to metastasize and progress.
Which, in turn, needs rehabilitation and reconstructive surgery, producing physical pain, emotional suffering, and even wrongful death.
The journey through the complexities of healthcare can be daunting, especially when faced with the unexpected.
In this personal account, I share the harrowing experience of discovering a protruding mass in my breast during a routine self-examination.
Delayed treatment allows the cancer to metastasize and progress.
Which, in turn, needs rehabilitation and reconstructive surgery, producing physical pain, emotional suffering, and even wrongful death.
The journey through the complexities of healthcare can be daunting, especially when faced with the unexpected.
In this personal account, I share the harrowing experience of discovering a protruding mass in my breast during a routine self-examination.
To my dismay, nearly two years after Sophiahemmet's diagnosis, they had not called me or scheduled a follow-up appointment. Therefore, I decided to seek a second opinion and discovered that they had misdiagnosed my lump.
These medical professionals had classified my lump as no cause for concern, creating a false sense of security and reassurance that there was no urgency and that time would not affect the lump.
However, this proved to be completely wrong, resulting in a misdiagnosis that cost me my womanhood, made me chronically ill, and led to a life filled with anxiety and hopelessness, and would have cost me my life had I continued waiting for a follow-up appointment.
This delay in obtaining an accurate diagnosis has led to significant consequences for my health, life, and treatments.
The wasted time could have been used for less harmful and aggressive interventions and less invasive treatments instead of allowing the condition to advance unchecked.
This misdiagnosis not only impeded the prompt initiation of the correct treatment but also placed my life in jeopardy.
The emotional toll of navigating a healthcare system fraught with missteps cannot be overstated.
Fueled by the initial diagnosis, the rollercoaster of confusion added a new layer of complexity to an already dire situation.
Coping with uncertainty became a daily struggle for me and those close to me. This doctor assured me he would schedule a lumpectomy to remove the lump, but neither that appointment nor any subsequent follow-up ever came.
Broken Promises:
I trusted Christinakliniken and its medical team with my health and life, expecting a professional, caring, and responsible action plan.
I trusted this doctor’s assurance that my lump was benign and not urgent, and he would follow up. However, I was dismissed and then forgotten, allowing my cancer to grow and metastasize.
Broken Promises:
I trusted Christinakliniken and its medical team with my health and life, expecting a professional, caring, and responsible action plan.
I trusted this doctor’s assurance that my lump was benign and not urgent, and he would follow up. However, I was dismissed and then forgotten, allowing my cancer to grow and metastasize.
After waiting for almost two years, the lump grew larger and more painful, and I could no longer ignore it. So, I sought a second opinion, only to find out I had metastasized breast cancer.
If I had not sought a second opinion, the negligence of Christinakliniken and Dr. Micheal Szeps would undoubtedly have ended my life.
The emotional toll of such news was immeasurable; it shattered my nerves and the trust I had placed in the medical system.
If I had not sought a second opinion, the negligence of Christinakliniken and Dr. Micheal Szeps would undoubtedly have ended my life.
The emotional toll of such news was immeasurable; it shattered my nerves and the trust I had placed in the medical system.
The broken promises and neglect not only impacted my physical well-being but also took a toll on my mental and emotional health and altered the course of my life permanently.
My identity and essence of womanhood were stolen away from me, and I suffered dire physical and mental ramifications that I am still battling in 2025.
Today, my only social life is limited to a couple of doctor's appointments per month.
Furthermore, the mastectomy produced PMPS (post-mastectomy pain syndrome),
The physical and emotional trauma of the mastectomy, the side effects, and the follow-up cancer treatments have eliminated my social life.
I am constantly in pain and fatigued. This makes it impossible for me to socialize or engage in activities I used to do before the mastectomy.
The discovery of a protruding mass in my breast set off a chain of events that exposed the fallibility of the healthcare system.
Through perseverance, advocacy, and a commitment to my own well-being, I emerged from this ordeal, mutilated and with my life shortened, but with valuable lessons learned and love for life.
This narrative serves as a personal account and a call to action for all to be vigilant and loud advocates for their health in the face of adversity.
I am constantly in pain and fatigued. This makes it impossible for me to socialize or engage in activities I used to do before the mastectomy.
The discovery of a protruding mass in my breast set off a chain of events that exposed the fallibility of the healthcare system.
Through perseverance, advocacy, and a commitment to my own well-being, I emerged from this ordeal, mutilated and with my life shortened, but with valuable lessons learned and love for life.
This narrative serves as a personal account and a call to action for all to be vigilant and loud advocates for their health in the face of adversity.
My heart raced as the doctor examined the lump, my palms clammy with anxiety.
The memory of my mother’s grief and suffering still haunts me, I couldn’t bear the thought of my daughters enduring the same ordeal as I.
The weight of the anxiety pressed heavily on my shoulders, causing a dull ache to settle in the pit of my stomach, and I felt nauseous.
