What Happened After the MRI-Guided Biopsy...

If you missed Part One: When Mindset Work Really Matters: What Breast Cancer and Business Have in Common — where I begin the 'adventures' of my cancer testing journey - this is the continuation of the same day, which got a lot more bloody.... and taught me even more about control, vulnerability, and accepting help.

The second half of that day — after the MRI-guided biopsy — wasn’t to be any easier than the first part of the day.... 

I’d been told I’d need a mammogram to check that the tiny clip they’d inserted during the biopsy was in the right place. Following the MRI clinic’s advice, I headed to a different imaging centre. I thought the mammogram had been booked, but when I arrived, it was clear that the referral hadn't actually come through to the clinic.

So, I sat in the waiting room for what felt like forever. People who arrived after me were being seen first. My patience was wearing thin. The numbing agents from the biopsy were starting to wear off, and honestly I was getting more uncomfortable and grumpier as time wore on…

Eventually, I was called in for the mammogram.

As I walked into the room, one of the staff asked gently,
“Would you be okay with a trainee nurse being in the room?”

At that point, modesty was the least of my concerns — I just wanted to get it over with.
“Sure,” I said.

I took off my bra, and that’s when I noticed what looked like a trickle of blood.
I asked one of the nurses for a paper towel to dab it.

At first, it seemed manageable… but then it didn’t stop.

I pressed the towel to my skin, thinking it just needed a moment. But the blood kept coming.
Dripping onto my skin.
Over my pants.
Down my back.

I looked down and saw my hand covered in blood.

I asked the nurse for more paper towels. I pressed again.
The towel soaked through.
And then another.
And another.

One of the nurses quietly left the room. I hadn’t even noticed until more people started arriving.

I kept applying pressure, but it wasn’t helping. The bleeding wouldn’t stop.

Eventually, I was asked to move to another room and lie down.

By then, there were five people in the room.

I lay there, half-naked, bleeding, still attempting to stop the bleeding myself — thinking:
Here I am, flashing my boobs to even more strangers, continuing to bleed all over the place.

Oddly, I was the calmest one in the room.
No one else was taking charge — I was still trying to manage it myself.

Until the doctor walked in and assessed the situation and said gently:
“I’ve got this now. You can let go.”

Those words gave me permission to stop applying pressure so tightly.
I physically let her take over.

She applied pressure — far more than I’d been able to. The level of pressure she applied, bloody hurt to be honest. She had to push the palm of her hand into my breast…so you get the general idea. 

The bleeding finally began to slow.

The nurses were playing tag team with the doctor — replacing the dressings several times before the bleeding stopped. The nurses gently cleaned me up — because the blood really was everywhere by now.

It was one of those less-than-glamorous moments: being wiped down by a team of women.
I thought, “I’m sure this is someone’s fantasy — just not mine!” 😂

Later, I discovered I’d developed a small haematoma and had bruising in the shape of the doctor’s fingers and palm. Some of that bruising remained visible on my breast for weeks.

What’s strange is — I was warned.

During the biopsy earlier that day, the doctor had casually said,
“I got a bit cheeky and went close to a vessel.”
I was a bit confused about what she meant but dismissed it, as I hadn’t been clearly advised that this kind of bleeding was possible.

It wasn’t until I was lying there, soaked in blood, that I understood: she’d nicked a blood vessel. The bleeding wasn’t just a random side effect — it was directly linked to that.

Funnily enough, I never ended up having the mammogram that day.

I left sore, bruised, and my clothes covered in blood (as per my husband's suggestion I look like I had murdered someone...). Most importantly though, one more reminder that sometimes, you can’t do everything yourself. No matter how independent or self-sufficient you like to be.

Sometimes, You Need Help. Everyone Does. 

Whether in life or in business.

There are moments when things start bleeding — (not literally generally), but when problems leak time, energy, money, or momentum. You do your best to stay calm, applying your own version of first aid, holding everything together. It can feel like you’re the only one keeping the room from spinning.

But just like in that medical clinic, there are times when you can’t stop it yourself — when you’re not even fully aware of how serious things are. That’s when you need someone to step in. Someone who knows how to apply the right kind of pressure to help you stop the bleeding. Someone willing to get involved, to support the “clean up” with you if needed.

Whether it’s in business or in life — when you’re stuck in the middle of chaos, juggling a thousand ideas, competing priorities, or overwhelming emotions — it’s not about someone swooping in to take over. It’s about having someone by your side who can lead you out of the noise, help you make sense of it all, and show you clear, simple steps to move forward with confidence.

Life and business aren’t about always being the calm one in control. They’re about knowing when to lead, and when to step back enough to let others support you.

It’s about being vulnerable, trusting that accepting help doesn’t mean you’re failing — it simply means you’re human.

Whether it’s a mentor, coach, team member, family member or friend… sometimes stepping back and letting someone else lead is exactly what’s needed to regain momentum — with less stress and more clarity.

So, where in your life or business are you going to let go, accept support, and invite someone to help you move forward? 🤔