Morning all! Hope you all had a lovely christmas with your loved ones. I just wanted to pop on to see if anybodies feeling the same or if anybody has any words of encouragement for me, this forum has been such a great source of positivity for me so far so thank you all!
I had a lumpectomy and SNLB on 16th December, recovering well and felt so positive after it that although we still have to wait for results the lump was gone!! And as @foxgem says we are now until told otherwise technically cancer free! I had such a positive outlook up until the day after christmas. I donāt know if its because i was keeping busy before christmas and this is just the christmas blues or because Iām thrown back into the waiting game or post surgery emotions!?
Iāve cut the sugar again as of today and back to eating healthy and drinking lots of water as Iām sure thats possibly contributing to my low mood too! We have been out and about too with our daughters so not cooped up in the house fighting over christmas toys
Any tips welcome and hope youāre all doing well x
Itās probably all of the above that you mentioned, each on its own is hard going, you have them all together and that is a challenge. But you know youāre doing the right things, you are mindful and putting yourself first. Yeaahhh
Keep busy doing things that make you happy, get out of the house as much as you can. When you go to bed think of all the positives in the day.
You must be so thrilled knowing the lump is gone, itās worth a very big HELL YEAH feeling and celebration with a huge
Sorry you feel like this @katie91 I hate to say this but I felt exactly the same Only I had my crash on Christmas day which was no fun for my poor husband. Disappointed in myself for crashing after we all had such positive conversations.
I think after my op I concentrated so hard on recovery and staying the path. Like you eating healthy and doing all the right things and without realising id almost set a target date of Christmas day to feel ānormalā again. The reality was that I still felt sore and when Christmas morning was done, I was able to peer over the fence into the future again. And I panicked! So not normal at all We have a new normal now whatever that is. I guess we find out as we go
I see youāve replied to another posts so Iāll pop over there now xx
Hello and sending you hugs and support. As @Ahbc21 says probably a combination of all these things. Also, your body has been on alert status, even without the diagnosis, all the prep for Christmas, getting things right for the girls, bound to be a bit of a low after. Add in breast cancer diagnosis and surgery and not surprising it has just let out a sigh and said worn out now Getting out is a good thing, I found when I had a low, just getting out and seeing the beauty of the world (and sometimes the wildness of the weather) helped.
I also found for a few months that life after surgery can be overwhelming and sometimes it hits you when not expecting it. Your emotions are heightened.I remember being out with friends having a good time, then suddenly bursting into tears. I think it was because I was so grateful for this time, having faced my own āmortalityā.
Talk to friends and family when you get low, enjoy the simple things in life like a walk and donāt feel guilty if you donāt exercise/eat properly one day. Itās a rollercoaster but the track does get smoother eventually.
Be kind to yourself itās so much to go through. I havenāt had my op yet diagnosed in November. We have had such a year, that Christmas was supposed to be the highlight. It wasnāt totally that. I cried, and showered and put my brave face on for the family. It is healthy to feel the emotions rather than pretend they arenāt there.
I hope you are feeling better today - there is always an extra tension of Christmas being this magical day where everything is smooth - itās a day. You did amazing even if you feel you didnāt. X
Thank you all for your replies, Iām just heading out now with my girls for a couple of hours so Iāll reply to you all later but just seeing your positive words and those of you feeling the same as me (although I wish none of us felt like this) itās so nice to know Iām not on my own!!!
Feeling much more positive already, up, dressed, ready for the day
Hi Katie. I had my SLNB and wide local incision same day as you. Was feeling not too bad until last few days. Just want to be able to drive and go out. (I live very rurally with 3 teenage daughters). The āstinging nettleā pain under my armpit is AWFUL and I have a nasty purple bruise, where my boobs are at their lowest point, that isnāt going away and is very achy. (Checked with hospital via email photos that it isnāt anything wrong). Just want to be mobile properly. A 20 min dog walk up my track is now double time and very tiring. Have only managed it twice. I really hope it has all gone though and I am slightly worrying about going in to hospital on 7 jan to find out. Trying to think about other things instead! At least today was sunny
I canāt add anything more to all the lovely comments and support that have already been said save to add in āthe long viewā
Iām now 4 and a half years post diagnosis and treatment and would just say you are still at a very early stage of your head coming to terms with your diagnosis and treatment. My diagnosis and surgery was in July 2021: it was six weeks after surgery that I absolutely crashed mentally and I donāt think it was a coincidence that it came at the same time as the end of my daughterās school summer holiday, I kept the smile and everything else behind it in check and it knocked me for six!
Breast cancer has taught me so many things: top of the list is patience and the healing properties of time and being kind to yourself
Literally sitting on my sofa thinking all I can do now is be patientā¦ and itās a skill Iāve not yet mastered in life. Iāll be 3 weeks post surgery soonā¦ in another 3 week I donāt know where I will be or what will be ahead of me. So this is the calm before the storm?
Only I had my crash on Christmas day which was no fun for my poor husband. Disappointed in myself for crashing after we all had such positive conversations.
and I have a nasty purple bruise, where my boobs are at their lowest point, that isnāt going away and is very achy. (Checked with hospital via email photos that it isnāt anything wrong). Just want to be mobile properly. A 20 min dog walk up my track is now double time and very tiring. Have only managed it twice. I really hope it has all gone though and I am slightly worrying about going in to hospital on 7 jan to find out. Trying to think about other things instead! At least today was sunny 