I went straight for a mastectomy rather than a WLE, as my aunt has had breast cancer 4 times, and I was worried about needing further operations if the margins weren’t clear with a WLE.
I think I am very odd, it didn’t bother me at all losing my breasts (got it in the other one, so had second mastectomy 6 weeks later). I live in my head rather than in my body, and am a doctor, so I really didn’t feel any emotions about it at all, it was just necessary.
I also didn’t want any kind of reconstruction. I now have prosthetics, but am happy flat. For anyone who is also flat (even if temporarily) there is a group called flatfriends which is really good.
Hi Mai, they told me few things(something that I don’t like here is that they don’t give us any exam. I hate that, it’s supost just to believe in doctors whiteout seeing anything? I didn’t even see any picture from my MRI(and he has changed his mind TWICE after seeing the results. How can I trust?). He told me that it’s estrogen positive and protein negative (although there’s something else which needs to be comforted the more biopsy). He suggested using Tamoxifen for ten years 
Many thanks, Jane, for explaining what DCIS means( what I knew about it was that is still inside of the duct (not invasive tumor). Thanks for clarifying 
Thanks Quaggie for your advices. What hard time you had, going through surgery three times :-(. I’m happy that you’re feeling well(as much as possible) about this journey!
I forgot to tell you Mai that I’m sorry to here you have issues about reconstruction. Although I’m sure they’ll find a good solution for you :-). I know that look at “my new shape” would be a cancer reminder to me too, so I don’t want to look at that.
Pastasmissus, I’m very glad you can deal so week about being flat. You’re blessed. Unfortunately it’s complicated for many women. Although I think that my life is more important, I can’t feel “normal” about losing any part of me. I “was made completed” and losing any part of my body is very painful to me.
Hi Jane, how was your appointment?
Hi Jane, that’s a shame you need to travel to have radiotherapy, but I’m glad there’s a lot of people willing to take you there (these people make us feel wanted). What happened to your oncologist is irritating. If you need to see him, why have they booked your appointment when he’s not working? They did something similar to me, they first made an appointment with me a few hours before the team met to discuss the results of my MRI, and today I knew my NCB won’t be in my surgery because it will be the day she doesn’t work! The person who makes me feel a bit confident will not be with me. About dignity, since I heard the phrase “you have breast cancer”, taking off my blouse and bra don’t bother me (which would have bothered me much before, since I’m shy). I believe you’ll undergo radiotherapy pretty well, you did well with quemo (hopefully), and will do even better now ;-). When will you start? Will it be 5 days a week?
Hi Carol Lina - How are you doing? Thinking of you.?xxx
Hi Helena, thanks for asking. At the end my surgeon gave a choice between mastectomy and lumpectomy. I chose lumpectomy and had it on Wednesday. I worked from anesthetic feeling so bad that stayed overnight at hospital. Now I’m relieved for having get rid of the lump and trying not to think about results and about how my breast will look when I have the dressing off. I’m also trying to handle with the numbness ( I barely can feel my side breast, part of my arm and armpit. I don’t know if it’s normal), the itching is also an issue and sports bra are giving me backache and my ribs are very painful too ?. At least the pain in the cuts are very soft, which surprised me ?
What about you, Helena?
I wish you all a good week
Carol
Hi Helenann, thank you for your fingers crossed ?I feel happy for you be feeling like you again ?
I’ll take off my dressing tomorrow and my results after Christmas (or maybe after New year, don’t know yet). For now the only thing making me anxious is my family’s visit right after Christmas. If anything good came with this journey it’s to see my family earlier than I expected. I haven’t seen them for three years. I can say, at least for now, that I’m happy ?
Hope we all have a wonderful Christmas, despite of our journeys ???
Carol xx
Jane, is everything ok? Have you started radiotherapy? How does it feel?
Are your children already at home? If yes, I hope you’re having a good time and happier now ?
Carol xx
Hi Jane, thanks! I’m happy it wasn’t delayed again too. Very relieved without that lump in my body.
I’m glad you’re doing well on radiotherapy and even happier that you and your family are having a good time ?
Thanks for your best wishes, I wish the same for you
Carol xx
PS: I wanna try explain what happened because you all gave me support when I was feeling sorrow and I m very thankful for that
Hey everybody, It seems like, if I wasn’t so unhappy and tearful with mastectomy, they wouldn’t give me the choice they said, later, I could have, as the lump wasn’t touching my skin. They say now that as I’m small breasted, I’d be better served by mastectomy followed by reconstruction. They didn’t realise that I don’t care if I have small breasts, I have been always happy with them and mainly, they’re part of me. It could be any part of my body and I’d be terrified of losing it anyway. I’m in my early thirties( but I could be 80 and would probably feel as sad as I was) and my family has no cancer history, could you imagine how shocked and scared I was when I was told that I had cancer and they needed to remove my breast with skin and nipple? Even my family thinks the diagnosis is wrong(I know that they only don’t want to believe in it). They had never told me I could try lumpectomy and keep my skin and nipple. I know I need to wait for the results, but I’m happy they are at least trying something less traumatic. I had so many worries in my mind with delayed reconstruction that I couldn’t have piece. As you all can realise, I’m a foreigner and the BREXIT and it’s consequences can affect me drastically. My husband has a good job, it’s why we moved to the UK, but if he lost it, how would I finish my treatment? I was scared about being left flat chested for more than one year if I don’t know even about my future after March. I was also feeling so ashamed for giving NHS such kind of expenses ( what’s crazy since my husband and I pay high taxes, but I feel anyway, like I was being a bad “guest” for your country). Before leaving my country I had all sort of exams to make sure I was healthy, including breast ultrasound, and it was everything fine! How could it have changed so quick? My surgeon told me I was only “out of luck”. Sorry for telling you all all of it, I just wanted to tell it to someone and I hope anybody feel “cheated”(I don’t know if it’s the right word to express what I mean) because you all gave me so much support about having mastectomy and it ended in a “simple” lumpectomy. It was a surprise for me either.
Jane, I also feel pretty bad about knitted knockers. I asked them the prosthetics and asked as an urgency since they have pull the mastectomy forward. I wrote to them to say how sorry and embarrassed I am as I no longer need them and they were very kind to tell me to keep them and how to make them smaller if it’s needed and for me don’t worry about have asked for them.
Thanks for giving the chance to talk about it. I didn’t tell me family and even my husband about it because I didn’t want to make them worrier than they are.
Sorry, one question, does anyone feel pain in the arm and armpit after surgery? It’s seems funny, but my armpit, part of my arm and part of my side and back( actually all places sorrounding the surgery area) are so painful and numb! It has been more than one week after surgery and I can’t handle this pain anymore. It has been hard to keep my arm touching my side since both are so painful. Sleeping has been horrible too. I asked my BCN the day after surgery and she told me it was normal, but now, many days later, I can’t believe it’s normal. Maybe they hurt any nerve when they took some lymph nodes? ?
Dear Carol- you don’t ‘owe’ anyone an explanation. What you have been through is VERY traumatic. I’m just so pleased for you that the medical team gave you the choice to try for a lumpectomy (This is still a big operation, so don’t feel ‘bad’ that you haven’t had a mastectomy).
I’m glad we were here to give you support and help with our own experiences - it doesn’t matter where you’re from.
You’ve obviously had the added stress of all this Brexit stuff to deal with. I really hope it all works out for you and your husband.From what you say I don’t consider you a ‘guest’ here - sounds like you both work hard and as you said pay your taxes etc - so you’re just as entitled to treatment under the NHS as anyone - so don’t ever feel like ‘bad’ about it.
Now try and put this to the back of your mind for now, have a good Christmas.
You’re only young- in one way much worse for you being diagnosed at such a young age - but with youth on your side hopefully you’ll be fit enough to get through any treatment you may need in the future (im 62 so a wise old head hopefully).
I’ll say a prayer and light a candle for you over Christmas.
You take good care of yourself- aches and pains will subside as time goes on. Take paracetamol and ibuprofen for now. Much love, Helen???xxx
Hi Jane, thank you! I’ll try to enjoy Christmas and I wish you a good one too ??
Hi Helen, many thanks for your words. You’re the best and not old but pretty wise for sure! Thanks also for your prayer, I’ll be thinking about you either and yes, I’ll enjoy Christmas and my family.
I wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas and that 2019 be far better than 2018 was ??
With love,
Carol
Thankyou Tili for your reply. I’m currently taking down the Xmas decs in anticipation of being out of action for a while. I’m going shopping on the weekend for pjs & some sports bras as you suggested. I didn’t know about the bag for drains that’s very helpful.xx
Hi sports bras also available at Asda £7 , T K max £12 ish & Sainsbury’s xx