Hello everyone, Thankyou sooo much for your kindness its so good to have you all to moan to! Ps secretary is off today typical!! will try tommorow. This sunshine certainly makes you feel better lets hope it lasts.
Glad to hear your all still doing so well. Christina enjoy your time with your son and try rest in between.
I am now wearing underwired bras but it did take time before i felt comfortable Its just nice to be able to choose nice pretty ones.
Tracy i have answered you on your thread. Love to all Helen2 XX
hi everyone,
it’s always good to catch up on all that’s going on helen 2 i’m so sorry about the cancellation of your op… i think i would go ape if it happens to me next week… hope it all gets sorted soon.
the weather has been lovely i went for a long walk by the canal and then the river on saturday with my 3 men brill day but yesterday became ill with tummy upset… was so bad in the night i thought i was back on chemo. but beginning to feel better now. hey ho. going away with hubby thursday for a couple of days… hope the weather stays good.
christina a real bra… can hardly imagine it… cleavage hmmmm!
sarah i’ve sent you a pm… glad everything is progressing well it fills me with hope. anne hope you are recovering from the cold and helen you are always so positive… keeping us all going, thanks
well take care all of you,
lots of love
lenny
xxxxx
Hi all
I have been sat here for the last hour reading all your threads. It has been so helpful to read of you all going through same process as me, and what I have in store. Hope you do not mind me joining into your threads…
I am 36, have 2 children aged 7 and 10 and I was diagnosed last August. I had an immediate mastectomy but they would not reconstruct at the same time because they were concerned about where my lump was growing. I had 5 wks of radiotherapy and have been on tamoxifen since January. We chose not to have chemo as statistically it didn’t raise the odds very much.
I am booked for my reconstruction on August 3rd. I can’t wait. However my concerns are that I have both of my children off for the summer holidays and most of my friends are off on their holidays! will I cope? I have made arrangements for them the week that I will be in hospital but I am just going to have to get on with it when I get home! My hubby has no holiday left that he can take off of work and I am a bit worried. As for the op… I had breast implants 6 years ago, so I still have one remaining. The surgeon said that I possibly don’t have enough fat on my back or my stomach (I told him that I have PLENTY on my bum!) and this will make the op more difficult. He will put implant under chest muscle and then do skin and muscle graft. I have not been offered the tissue expander thingy that I have heard you all discussing. Its all so confusing and you put your trust in the person who is operating. Lennie - I wish you luck with yours next week, I will be interested to read how you get on. Would love to hear back from any of you because you all sound so caring and supportive!
Heidi xx
Hi Heidi35
Welcome to the Breast Cancer Care forums where I am sure you will receive valuable support, information and advice from the many informed users of this site.
Breast Cancer Care have written a ‘Resources Pack’ for anyone newly diagnosed with breast cancer which you may find helpful to read, it is filled with information to help you better understand your diagnosis, test results and the various treatments available. As it’s an A5 binder you can order a free copy from the following link or you can ask for a copy to be sent to you via the helpline.
breastcancercare.org.uk/server/show/nav.718/changeTemplate/PublicationDisplay/publicationId/82
There is information in the pack about our other support services, including our helpline, tel no 0808 800 6000 which you may find useful to use at some point if you need to talk anything through or just need someone to lend an understanding ear. Alternatively if you prefer you can use email: <script type=“text/javascript”>eval(unescape(‘%64%6f%63%75%6d%65%6e%74%2e%77%72%69%74%65%28%27%3c%61%20%68%72%65%66%3d%22%6d%61%69%6c%74%6f%3a%69%6e%66%6f%40%62%72%65%61%73%74%63%61%6e%63%65%72%63%61%72%65%2e%6f%72%67%2e%75%6b%22%3e%69%6e%66%6f%40%62%72%65%61%73%74%63%61%6e%63%65%72%63%61%72%65%2e%6f%72%67%2e%75%6b%3c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b’))</script>
Kind regards,
Jo, Facilitator
Hi Heidi…course you are welcome to join this and any other thread you feel will be useful to you. Its good that you have organised childcare when you are in hospital that week. You will probably find…going by my own experience that it would be useful if you could have someone that first week you are at home! But lifes not ideal is it…so if you could get your hubby to arrange things the night before , so that you have things near to you and you aren’t having to get up and down too much…that might be helpful. Have you got someone to take the children to school?? When they come home they sound old enough to do a ‘bit’ of running about and fetching and carrying for you. You will find yourself tiring easily, so listen to your body and rest up when you can. The afternoons could be a catch up time for you with your sleep. Having said that we are all different and recover at different speeds.
Has your hubby asked about compassionate leave. He is probably entitled to up to 5 days I think. It usually is at the descretion of his boss. My hubbys boss prevaricated…and in the end he ended up taking hols owed to him. But he can only ask.
I had a mastectomy on the 20th April this year …with immediate reconstruction…so kind of missed a ‘step’ out. I can appreciate the missed out step now…listening to all the ladies on this thread and how excited all are to gain back 2 boobs and a balance. So I bet you can’t wait Heidi…keep posting!
Hi Lenny …bad luck with the tummy bug…but what a lovely walk. And your 3 lovely men are…? Not long now eh!!
Christina …I tried several bras on the other day…but still not quite comfortable enough to wear one just yet!!!
Hope the cold is better Anne! Do you suffer from hay fever?
Hi Sarah f. Well done for the walk…its a milestone isn’t it? Yeah your tummy will ache…this is my 6th week and I feel like I’ve just turned a corner so to speak…so it will happen…keep up the excercises…I keep forgetting…but tell myself that housework excercise is ok as a substitute heheheeh!!!
Hi the other Sarah…hope all is well and you are recovering steadily! This glorious weather helps doesn’t it?
Hi Helen…how goes it on the appointment front? Keep ringing them up and give them no peace till you get one!!! Hope its soon! Meanwhile enjoy the sun!!!
Right its my 54th birthday today so gonna open my cards and potter about and relax …its the beginning of a better year!!!
Enjoy the sun all…sorry its pretty long and waffley. My age you know!! lol 
Helenxx
A Post For Helen
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! - You deserve a good one, relax and enjoy the sunshine.
Cheers and cyber hug
Anne x
helen… ‘happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear helen, happy birthday to you!’
hope it is all you want it to be, what a lovely day to have a birthday and yes the only way is up… it is going to be a better year for all of us.
i’m feeling better, not 100% but on my way. my lovely men are my husband and 2 boys, 15 and 13, i’ve always liked being the only girl!
welcome heidi, sorry you have found yourself here but hope talking to us will give you some support. i think all of helen’s advise is good, i would say that the more you prepare your children the easier it will be, i know they are young but i’m sure if they know there is something practical they can do to help mummy get better they will be more than up for it. yes not long for me now, i go into hospital a week today…
hi everyone else, have a lovely day and enjoy the sun as the forecast says it is set to change tomorrow.
christina just wanted you to know that i read your other thread about your work situation and i’m outraged by what has happened to you and others and would willingly put my name to any campaign that would bring this out into the open and stop it from happening,
sarah talk to you soon,
love,
lenny
xxx
Helen, Happy birthday and many many happy returns of what i hope will be a great dy and even better year.
Can i also add my thanks for all the help, support and advice you have given us all on here. You have certainly helped me come to terms with being a member of this fantastic club by having the guts to go through with the op. Thank you. I never would have done it without your help and the help of the others on here.
Lenny, as you say this time next week you will be sitting in hospital excited that in 24 hours time you will have a cleavage.Look forward to the day when you tell us about your first wearing of a normal bra again. It feels so good.Can’t wait to take my prosthesis back to the hospital, i hope it can help someone in a third world country to benefit from it. We are so lucky in this country.
As you say my battle on the other forum needs to be publicised and as soon as my battle ends, hopefully at a tribunal i will ensure it does.It cannot be allowed to happen to anyone else.
Anne, hope you are feeling better today. At least you have a good excuse to sit in the sun and relax.
I am probably going to catch the train to Birmingham shortly with my son for some window shopping retail therapy.Hope you all have a good day and ONWARD AND UPWARD to us all.
Hi everyone. Having had enough sunshine, thought I’d catch up on here. Helen? How do you keep track of everyone, I’m really trying but apologies if I mix up people hehee.
Firstly Heidi - you’re very welcome, hope we can help you. Just wish we had the resources to join together and actually help out physically. Like Lenny said, I would tell your children that you really are going to need their help and see what ideas they come up with (should be interesting!). Helen (nell) and I had the belly boob and now at 6 wks post op, I am almost back to normal, and so very very pleased with my new cleavage.
Sarah - like Christina, I’ve not had any dressings, just glue, and then have had to wear tight sports bra day and night since. Underwired bras?? cannot think I’ll every want to have one of those again - wont they dig in on the scars?
Birthday girl - is your tummy itching? its driving me mad. I was told to moisturise, but it gave me a rash, but I’m told itching is a good sign - just not a good look!!
Tracy - good to see you on here, do you have a date yet? and what are they doing?
Does anyone know when we can start swimming? This weather’s made me think, plus we’re off to Spain in a couple of weeks. Probably will phone my BCN to check.
Have a great day everybody and roll on next week for Lenny - not long now.
Cheers
Anne x
Hi Anne,
Lovely to see you on here again, I hope you’re well and taking it easy.
I finally got a date and it’s June 17th, so 3 months after the original date - seems I did go to the bottom of the waiting list again. I ended up waiting 5 weeks before I even got a letter it was very frustrating.
I am having an LD flap after all, as I want to try and go a bit bigger (I’m only an A cup and that’s probably being generous!)
I’m really anxious that it may get cancelled again and won’t believe it’s been done until I wake up in the recovery room and then I’ll check for dressings.
Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Tracy xxxx
Helen - Happy Birthday - Hope you had a wonderful day in the sunshine and that you have managed to celebrate in some way.
Heidi - welcome to our group. I think you should see if your husband can get compassionate leave. I have been very lucky as my husband got 5 days compassionate leave plus the bank holiday and from today he has been allowed to work at home with his laptop for up to 2 weeks. I have found the recovery (tummy op) much harder than when I had the mastectomy - at least then I could walk around in comfort and bend down to pick things up ! Does your husband cook ? You won’t feel like standing for long initially as your back aches. It’s 3 weeks tomorrow since my op and when I got out of bed this morning my tummy didn’t feel quite so stiff so I was pleased.
Lenny - Don’t forget to phone soon. Wouldn’t it be funny if you ended up in the same room that I was in ? Room 30.
Hope everyone else has had a good day.
Sarah F
x
Happy birthday Helen hope you have had a fantastic day.
Welcome Heidi you will get lots of support and advice here.
Hi everybody, Spoke to ps secretary today she said he had to cancel due to a family matter!! Why does it have to happen to me!! Anyway she said i wont need another pre op because it will be very soon and she needed to speak to someone first. Does anyone know how long it is before you would require another pre op. Love Helen2 XX
Hi all…what lovely ladies you are…thanks for all the good wishes! I had the most perfect day…a new beginning!!!
Anne I do have an itchy tummy!! Its on my scar, but mostly at the hip bones…its a good sign, new skin and all that! Just annoying!! Other than that are you recovering better. I feel like I’ve turned the corner and am upward bound!!!yeh
Sarah f … Great that your OH was able to get compassionate leave…it all depends on the kind of people you work for doesn’t it!
You sound to be recovering really well. I know the feeling about picking things up…you feel like an oldy…which we aint!! But guess what…get to weeks 4/5 it becomes much easier, then for me on week 6/7 I’m doing it like a ‘good un’. hehehe
Lenny not long now eh! Is it next Wednesday or Thursday? Bet each day seems like a month!!!Sorry Lenny, is it a LCD or DIEP op that you are having? Bet your ‘men’ spoil you eh! Keep busy.
Hi Tracy just a couple more weeks for you too. Hope all goes smoothly.
Hi Christina …onwards and upwards! deffo! Hope you had a really good retail shopping day. How old is your son?
Hey Helen… I remember that you were in Bradford hospital…just wondered if that was local to you? Is that where you will be going for this op? Sounds like you will be getting your date pretty soon love…good!! I had a pre op for each op I had. Only one was done a few days before…the others were done on the day. Its only the same thing over again. think they get bored doing it especially when its the same info thats already down in the notes!!!
Hi Other Sarah and Heidi…hope you are doing ok.
catch ya later
Helenxxx
Hi Nell, if i call you by your user name won’t get so confused i hope.
Glad you had a brilliant birthday, with fantastic weather to celebrate it with too.
My son is 27 and moved to Newcastle 6 years ago to be with his girlfriend. He has been really happy up there until just recently when she announced she was moving out to be with someone else.So he now has to cope with the bills, rent, the lot for their flat. Which isn’t easy. Been really good to have him home for this last 2 weeks be very sad to see him go home where he finds life very lonely now living alone in a big city.
Sarah, My husband had to take a/l to be with me for my op and when i came out of hospital. I am fortunate though that my sons have all grown up and left home.Is there no playschemes in your area during the summer hols? Could you contact the organiser and ask if its possible to arrange for your children to go there with another parent?
Anne, my back gets ever so itchy round the scar and i really want to give it a good scratch but know its a good sign of the skin healing.
Anyone got any ideas of what i can do about references for a job i really want? As you may already know i was dismissed from my previous job, which i am in the process of going to tribunal regarding, so i cannot use last employer. Really want this new job but have to have references and i know ex colleagues too scared to help me out.
Hi Christina…think using Nell is a good idea…did think about it myself, gets a bit confusing doesn’t it? Sad about your son… doesn’t matter how old they are …they are still your little boy or girl! My son is 28yrs and he’s been great through all of this…Hope you got some good clothes … good therapy eh!!
Helenxx
Hi all, this is easier to say as im not very good at keeping up with everyone! yes Helen was Bradford ward 19, Live in asmall village about 10 miles away. Feel a bit down today as i was due in in the morning but never mind worse things could happen so shouldn’t complain!
Sorry to hear about your son Christina its so hard to see them unhappy she did not sound like a very nice girl! I also have a son who is 22 and he never leaves my side he is so protective! drives me mad but suppose at least he cares.
Not long now for you Lenny is it next wednesday.
love Helen2XX
oooo i just lost my post, how can that happen just written a load of stuff pressed submit and it has gone… do you think it is somewhere in cyber space??
well here were the points:-
i’m going away for the next 3 days/2 nights with hubby
i enjoyed talking to sarah f last night, thank you. did you know everyone that we share the same surgeon?
helen/nell? glad you had a good birthday, i am having a tummy boop so yes that’s a diep isn’t it… no good with all the names.
heidi plan good family time while you wait,
anne it is next wednesday the 10th (my op)
tracy hope your time passes quicker than mine has…
helen 2 i think it’s ok to be down when you were all psyched up… hope a new date comes soon and i had my pre op at least 2 weeks ago and my son has an op on the 31st jul and had his pre op last week!
christina there is something good in your sons life and that is that you are his mum!!! sorry i can’t help about ideas for referances.
sorry if i’ve forgotten someone… this is my 2nd time of posting.
o yes look after yourselves coz you are all so very special…
lots of love,
lenny
xxxx
lots of love,
lenny
Morning girls…its really annoying when that happens isn’t it Lenny? Especially when you lose a long post! Great that you are going to get away…just what the doctored ordered and it will make your time go faster…have a great time love, you both need and deserve it! A tummy op…it could be either a tram flap or a diep…as long as you are having it…not too much difference!! So its Wed 10th. not too long now!!
Helen…hope you are managing not to be too down…know that we are all here and a good rant is soothing at times!!!
All have a great day, even though the weather is duller. I am looking after my grandson today…training day at school…can’t play rugby on the field with him, so will have to stick to tv and garden games!!!
catch ya later
Helenxx
Hi Lenny and Helen, Lenny that makes me feel sooo much better about your sons pre op being so long before his op makes me think they wont make me wait too long! Hope you have a lovely break away will make you feel relaxed ready for next week.
Helen im not too bad today have got use to the idea that its not happening yet thankyou for your kind words. Hope you have had a lovely day with your grandson and he hasnt been jumping on your tummy
ouch!!Chistina, sarahs, Anne hope your all ok today. Tracy less than 2 weeks to go wont be long now hope the time goes quickly.
Lots of love Helen2XX
Hi all!!
Have had a brilliant couple of days, my results from the genetic testing came back yesterday after a 4 month wait and i don’t have the BRCAS 1 and 2 gene, which means I won’t need a hysterectomy or a mastectomy on the left side and it means I haven’t passed on the gene to my 10 year old daughter! We are over the moon and so relieved. They said I was just unlucky to get it at 35. Have decided that this is the point that my luck changes for the better, and its onwards and upwards from here on in. Get the reconstruction over and done with and move on!
Nell - its the summer holidays when I have my op so I can’t pack my 2 monkeys off to school! Have asked my husband to talk to his boss about compassionate leave though, he took so much compassionate last year that not sure they will be particularly compassionate this time but we can hope!
Am off to a mama mia tribute night tonight in Southampton. Its a dinner/dance and we are going with good friends. It should be a giggle!
Weather has turned for me down south, hope that it turns back again pretty soon.
Lots of love to all
Heidi xxx