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.
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.
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.
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.
I would have never imagined that placing my trust in the medical professionals at Sophiahemmet, Christinakliniken, particularly the oncology team led by Dr. Michael Szep, and Dr. Eva af Trampe, would lead me down such a life-changing path.
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 was the best news I could have ever received, and it eased all my anxieties; I didn’t have cancer!
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 was the best news I could have ever received, and it eased all my anxieties; I didn’t have cancer!
Although I was deeply relieved that I did not have cancer, the lump was painful and bothersome, so I asked Dr. Szep to remove it through lumpectomy surgery. I felt disappointed when he mentioned that summer was not the best time for non-urgent and elective surgeries and denied my request. He suggested we re-evaluate my lump and surgery at the beginning of 2019 and promised to send a follow-up appointment.
Almost two years after my diagnosis at Sophiahemmet, I had not received the promised follow-up appointment or any communication from Dr. Szep, Dr. Eva af Trampe, or their nurse Anna-Maria Hasselgren-Häll. Meanwhile, the lump has grown larger and increasingly painful. (Cancer can be painful, trust me!)
Frustrated by my situation, I decided to seek a second opinion, only to discover that my lump had been misdiagnosed. Dr. Szep medical evaluation labeled my lump non-urgent, creating a misleading sense of safety and convincing me that immediate action wasn't critical. As a result, I delayed seeking the care I truly needed. This unreliable diagnosis had devastating consequences: it resulted in the loss of my womanhood, left me facing chronic health challenges, and filled my life with anxiety and despair.
More alarmingly, I may not be alive today if I had kept waiting passively for the promised follow-up appointment. This situation highlights the urgent necessity for timely and precise medical assessments—postponing care will lead to irreversible outcomes, and even death.
This unreliable diagnosis had devastating consequences: it resulted in the loss of my womanhood, left me facing chronic health challenges, and filled my life with anxiety and despair. More alarmingly, had I continued to wait passively for a follow-up appointment, I would be dead now. This experience underscores the critical need for prompt and accurate medical evaluations—delaying care has irreversible consequences.
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Almost two years after my diagnosis at Sophiahemmet, I had not received the promised follow-up appointment or any communication from Dr. Szep, Dr. Eva af Trampe, or their nurse Anna-Maria Hasselgren-Häll. Meanwhile, the lump has grown larger and increasingly painful. (Cancer can be painful, trust me!)
Frustrated by my situation, I decided to seek a second opinion, only to discover that my lump had been misdiagnosed. Dr. Szep medical evaluation labeled my lump non-urgent, creating a misleading sense of safety and convincing me that immediate action wasn't critical. As a result, I delayed seeking the care I truly needed. This unreliable diagnosis had devastating consequences: it resulted in the loss of my womanhood, left me facing chronic health challenges, and filled my life with anxiety and despair.
More alarmingly, I may not be alive today if I had kept waiting passively for the promised follow-up appointment. This situation highlights the urgent necessity for timely and precise medical assessments—postponing care will lead to irreversible outcomes, and even death.
This unreliable diagnosis had devastating consequences: it resulted in the loss of my womanhood, left me facing chronic health challenges, and filled my life with anxiety and despair. More alarmingly, had I continued to wait passively for a follow-up appointment, I would be dead now. This experience underscores the critical need for prompt and accurate medical evaluations—delaying care has irreversible consequences.
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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.
In addition to the negligence of this clinic and its doctors, which caused medical issues with several side effects, I experienced the loss of my breast, depriving me of my sense of womanhood and identity.
In addition to the negligence of this clinic and its doctors, which caused medical issues with several side effects, I experienced the loss of my breast, depriving me of my sense of womanhood and identity.
On top of losing my breast, this 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 created a chronic seroma that has stubbornly persisted for six long years and requires drainage every couple of weeks, performed by inserting a long needle into my chest (aspiration), causing anxiety, pain, discomfort, affecting function, and increasing the risk of infection, impacting my nerves and well-being.
I also 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.
Broken Promises:
I trusted Christinakliniken and its medical team with my health and life, expecting a professional, caring, and responsible action plan.
I trusted the doctor’s assurance that my lump was not urgent and that he would follow up. However, I was dismissed and subsequently forgotten, which allowed my cancer to grow and metastasize.
The emotional toll of receiving the news that I had cancer was immeasurable; it shattered my nerves and the trust I had placed in the medical system.
I trusted Christinakliniken and its medical team with my health and life, expecting a professional, caring, and responsible action plan.
I trusted the doctor’s assurance that my lump was not urgent and that he would follow up. However, I was dismissed and subsequently forgotten, which allowed my cancer to grow and metastasize.
The emotional toll of receiving the news that I had cancer 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),
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.
