Hi, a month ago I was diagnosed with a Grade 2 hormone-receptive malignant tumour in my left breast. I had a different kind of hormone-receptive tumour removed from the same place eight years ago.
I’ve already had a bunch of tests, including a nuclear bone scan, and it seems the cancer hasn’t spread to the rest of my body, so that’s an enormous relief. But I’ve only just had a breast MRI done, yesterday in fact (due to technical problems with the machine), so I won’t know if it’s in the other breast until the results appointment in two weeks.
The surgeon told me a couple of weeks ago that a mastectomy is inevitable, and I imagine it will be a double one if they do find something in the other breast.
I didn’t have chemotherapy last time, but it’s extremely likely now - although if my lymph glands are clear, there’s an outside possibility that they’ll consider just going with hormone treatment, as I didn’t have that last time. I’m scared of the prospect of chemo, however logical it might be that I should have it now, so at the moment I’m holding on to that slight possibility.
Could someone please tell the approximate recovery time for a single mastectomy? And a double one? These are questions I should have asked in the initial appointment with the surgeon but didn’t.
Thanks.