Hello Sandra,
I was diagnosed 5th November and met with my surgeon and breast care nurse today. I will have pre-op on 20th and surgery on 26th. I have grade 1, 7mm tumour. So quite a bit in common with you, and like you I am worried it has spread to my nodes. I have never been in hospital before, so I am finding the whole prospect a bit overwhelming. I’ve found reading the posts on here really encouraging and really helpful today - so thank you everyone.
Eliza
Hi Eliza and welcome to the BCC forums.
You may find BCC’s resource pack helpful, it has been designed for those newly diagnosed. If you would like a copy just follow the link below to order a copy:
breastcancercare.org.uk//content.php?page_id=7514
In addition to the support you will receive here, if you feel it would help to talk to someone in confidence about your upcoming surgery or any other concerns you have, then please give the helpline a call, the staff here are all either breast care nurses or people who have personal experience of breast care issues. They can offer you a listening ear, support and information about other services we can offer you to help you through this difficult time. The number to call is 0808 800 6000 the lines open Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturdays 9am - 2pm.
I hope this is of some help to you.
Best wishes
Lucy
Hi Sandra, i’m having my op the day after you, on the 28th.I was lucky enough to meet ‘my’ bcn the same time as diagnosis, she’s been there to hold my hand ever since and is always on the end of the telephone if i have a question, or a worry, so don’t be afraid to call yours too when you need to.And i have found veryone on here to be a tower of strength, even when they’re going through difficult times themselves, there is always sound advice and humour somewhere! Shout if you need to, ask away and there will be an answer…they’ve all been through it, so are there for those of us who are just at the starting line! My tumour is grade 1/2 and small, but attached to the nipple (pesky little devil) so after lots of discussion i am having a WLE and sentinel node biopsy.Like you, i am hoping for clear nodes, so my surgeon is on a warning to get in there, get rid of the nasties and allow me to get on with my life.Good luck with your op, and fingers crossed for clear nodes xx
Thank you, Lucy.
My bc nurse gave me one of your packs yesterday and I think it is going to be very useful having somewhere to gather together information and notes. She also has a stack of your factsheets.
Eliza
Hi Ladies I was dx on the 9th July,had the lump removed on the 23rd July 6mm,and 6 nodes which i pleased to say was clear.5weeks after opp i had radiotherapy everyday for 3weeks excluding Sat and Sun also have to take Arimidex for 5yrs.The opp itself was ok,went to theartre at 9am was back on the ward a couple of hrs later eating my lunch,took co-codamol,which i must say gave me constipation so went onto nurofen,They put a blue dye into you,the best way to get that out of you is to drink plenty of water.Yes the scar area was tender but went easier day by day.was driveng a few days later.The rads were also fine,the most tirig part was going back and to from hospital.I was lucky that it only took me 15mins to christies in manchesterso in all was out of the house approx 1hr.Yes towards the end of the 3wks the area under the bust was fairly tender,but ok if I didn’t wear a bra,through out rads i put E45 cream on 3times a day.I went back to work wed just gone.I hope the very best of results for you please let me know how you all go on.xx
I’m really encouraged to hear that, walton so thank you for posting. The thought that you were eating your lunch is particularly reassuring and you’ve made me feel a bit calmer about it all - for now at any rate!
Thanks too for the tips/ things to watch out for.
Eliza
Hi
Like Walton I was dx on 11 th July,pre op on the 14th and WLE and lymph node sampling on the 28th. Surgery was 3.30pm and I was drinking hot chocolate at 9.00pm and home after breakfast. Results were 10 days later - clear margins and nodes so had 3 weeks radiotherapy at Christies in Manchester and am now on Arimidex for 5 years as was hormone +++. Rads was not a problem, no irritation and just very slight pink when I had a bath etc.Mind you I was in the IMPORT Low trial and had reduced dosage to the rest of my boob! I put E45 on three times a day from well before my rads!
Well, I’m just about to go to my friend’s house as she will take me to hospital tomorrow morning ready for op in afternoon. I’ll stay with he again when I come out.
Sandra & Narnia, I’ll be thinking of you on Thursday and Friday. Look forward to hearing how you got on when I’m back home.
Walton & Kharga, thank you for your reassuring comments - I’m looking trying to hold the hot chocolate part in my mind to keep the fears at bay.
Eliza xx
Hope everything goes well for you tomorrow Eliza.Take care xxxx
Just back from Sainsbury’s…have done a massive shop, so family don’t have to think about it all, they can spend their time pampering me instead!! 
Hubby has finally admitted to being ‘concerned’ about what lies ahead for me…he said today, (quote) .’ I’m not worried, ‘cos they have to do what they have to do to make you better, but i am concerned about it all’…which is a huge step forward for us as a couple, because up to now, he has refused to say anything.And he wants to be there on Friday morning when they take me to theatre, which is really lovely
ps…is anyone going to tell me where they inject you for the snb blue dye thingy???is it into the armpit where the nodes are, or into the breast itself???
Eliza, yes I live near Watford, Herts and have had my 2 ops at St Albans City Hospital
Narnia they inject the blue dye near the lump and from there it drains to the nodes
Helen xx
damn…thats what i feared…mine is in my nipple… 
off to have it done tomorrow, and op on Friday, so i’ll let you all know how i get on when i’m back in the land of the living!!
Hello everyone, I had my operation on thursday and am now recovering at home. Don’t know if anyone else has felt like this but I was told to expect a tight chest, but when I lay down my breathing is laboured, is that normal? It isn’t painful just a bit frightening when I can’t catch my breath. Im going to ring the Breast Care helpline at 9 when it opens cause i am a bit concerned. Other than that I feel ok, just a bit sore which is understandable.
Thanks for all your comments, they are helpful.
Sandraxxx
had my op on Friday and all is good…surgeon says he believes he got the whole thing (they xrayed it while i was still on the table, apparantly) and he found the sentinel node easily, so only removed that one and no others.He says that it wasa good sign that the snb injection went through my system very quickly (suggestive of no tumour in them).I get the news on 9th December and all being well, will only need the radiotherapy and no more surgery.If he didn’t get all of the lump, he says a mastectomy might be the best option then, so i will try to make a sensible decision.I’m trying not to get too excited, in case he didn’t get it all, i am keeping it there, in a small corener of my mind, that Imight need more surgery,but right now, things are really hopeful…much more hopeful than i ever dared hope.He has reduced my ‘good’ boob to match and removed my nipple from it, moving it to a better position…trouble is, it looks like one of Marty Feldmans’s eyes right now, sort of bulging out and looking up at me, instead of down at the floor, its more usual position!! I will have nipple reconstruction on my affected side, but am in no rush just yet, he had a good look for possible donor sites while i was asleep, so ‘he knows where to get it from when the time comes’!.And yes, i did wear my nipple stickers…telling him to do a great job, please! Apparantly, he laughed his head off as for him, it was first! and they let me keep my ipod in, so i could listen to my favourite band as i fell asleep, right after hubby whispered ’ i love you, it’ll be alright’ in my ear. so, fingers crossed for very good news on 9th, but i am prepared for whatever happens now and am not scared.All will be well!
Hi all, glad your op went well Narnia, keep strong you will get through this. I find out thursday whether its spread to my nodes, feeling positive tho, the docs were very hopeful they got everything. One step at a time tho, get better first, worry about what comes after when you need to.
Eliza hope yours went well too, been thinking about you all and how positive you have made me feel about everything.
Thanks again
Sandra
xx
Hi all. I hope everyone is ok.
I had my full Axillary clearance on the 19th. It wasn’t as bad as the previous op. Had drain out on day 6. Saw my BCN on Monday. She told me that they had removed 13 more lymph nodes and one of them was cancerous. So in all 3 of 18 nodes affected. Next step chemo. I see the Oncologist next Tuesday, chemo probably wont start till after Christmas though. I’ve got all my hats and scarves etc. I bought a wig a couple of years ago for a bit of fun but my kids said it looked silly, my husband liked it though so I’ll get to wear it last. I’m hoping I may have a bit of fluff on my head for my birthday in June lol
Helen xx
boobs hurt and feel tight today…is this normal???particularly so under my right boob, the one with the cancer (or not, now!!), also rather itchy, but see my bcn tomorrow to have dressings removed.Now i’m concerned about what it’s going to look like and whether i will cry when i see it.Hubby will be with me and i don’t want to see him look horrified…
Eliza
Hope things have gone OK
Kharga
Hi all, hope you are ok Narnia and Eliza and not too sore. My boob is still very tight and itchy so think this must be common, especially on the scar edges, driving me mad itching.
Had my dressings removed yesterday and still very sore and bruised, especially under my arm.
The good news is my results were back and the doctor took 2cm and pathologist said they got all of it, and out of the two nodes they took they were clear. I now have to have radiotherapy in January and Tamoxifen for 5 years, just waiting for my appointment with the oncologist now. I feel very lucky and grateful to all the Breast Care team who looked after me, and still are.
Narnia your husband loves you dearly and is very supportive. Im sure he is happy to have you with him every day of your lives no matter what is missing. Reconstruction is something you can think about at a later date if thats the way you want to go. Get yourself well now thats what is most important pet.
Take care of you
Sandra