Sorry dont have the experience to give advice, hopefully someone else will. But I would think if no pain prob leave well alone. When are you next due to see someone? If in doubt call/ email Breast care nurses? Xx
I would just drop the breast care nurses a message 
Was going to do an update after my last Docetaxel dose. But LOOKIE
So I may be updating you from the assessment unit later 
It’s dropped a bit, bit not enough. Waiting for the callback… and the probable call in as I had nasty stomach pain last night as well and the combo is a bit suspect….
Got my radiotherapy planning appointment on Tuesday (17). Best get through this first ….
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Unfortunately owing to capacity I have to go to A&E this time. Really nervous about long waits when feeling this horrid and in so much pain from injections. Can wait till my partner gets home but no longer cheerful and pragmatic
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Aww no! Hopefully you don’t have to wait too long! Fingers crossed they get you feeling better soon!
And massive congratulations on getting past your last Docetaxel, even if you can’t celebrate quite yet it’s still a major milestone 
xx
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Hey I had a single mastectomy on the 23rd December and it was emotionally tough - lots of tears in the shower and my boyfriend had to clean me as I couldn’t look at it. The surgeon was so pleased with her work, it’s very neat. I look at it some times but wear a bikini top in the bath. But I am accepting it much more, I know it will be slow but I have been looking up tattoos that I want to cover it. I’m really fit, do lots of running and bootcamp and don’t want another surgery to both stomach and boob which could cause complications. And then it won’t be real, won’t have feeling and won’t droop like the other one. So I am secure in my choice of staying flat. My boyfriend doesn’t mind, still has one to play with. I’ve decided I’m going to own the flatness. It helps that I have small boobs so it’s not a massive mismatch, I mainly wear crop tops with the curved bits in them and it’s not that noticeable. It’s a massive decision and I did cry a lot and I’m still not there but feel like I am heading in the right direction mentally
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@Kara Oh love! Hopefully they will isolate you, and your cancer pack is your passport to queue jump. Hope you get sorted quickly. Thinking of you. xxx
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I am going to be joining you next week as I have flat surgery booked. I’ve been really sanguine about it up to now and am determined to ‘punk it out’, but I am fully aware that the reality of that may be wildly different to my imagined ability to come to terms with it.
I guess it is a slow road to acceptance, but you sound like you’re on the right track. The fact that you have no regrets about your decision is a massive one. We can be the figureheads of flat. I hope all of us going through this will find the confidence to wear it with pride. XXX
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I definitely thought I would handle it better, there were a lot of tears and avoidance. But now I have my full flexibility back, and have been out running and getting back to normal, that feels like a massive step. I don’t want something foreign in my body, and the tattoos I have seen are so beautiful - we’ve got this!
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I’m so sorry you’re going through it again, you must be so tired of the whole thing. Prayers for your quick recovery and getting home soon xx
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Just an update for those about to have surgery. I had mine on 3rd March with full armpit lymph node clearance and immediate implant placement. It’s not been as bad as I expected - I requested no morphine in the anaesthetic (makes my dad really sick) so I had fentanyl instead and was absolutely fine. The pec block (local anaesthetic from surgeon in chest area) wore off around 3am next morning but not a super big deal. I’ve had one tramadol before bed each night except yesterday and no other painkillers. It’s a bit sore but better than I expected to be with painkillers even without them so I’ve tried to keep them minimal. The incisions are more itchy than sore now, I have some nerve pain in my upper arm like I had from the lymph node biopsy (lasted 1-2 weeks then so hopefully temporary) and a slight feeling of something poking at my sternum which I think is to do with the implant. I had one of the two drains removed today and the other is still producing a fair amount around 50ml so that’ll stay a bit longer. Still on antibiotics but it’s a low dose and not noticing any symptoms. I’m very tired and mainly want to be in bed with my audiobooks but I have ME / long Covid so to an extent I was already like that! Managing ok around the house with meals, laundry etc but not driving is making me grumpy. The best way I can describe the feeling of the surgery is if you’ve ever had a bra wire start poking out and it’s cut you but you were in public and had to put up with it - kind of sore and pokey but you’ve probably had another injury that’s been a lot worse in the past so hopefully you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how it all goes. The implant feels like I have a suction cup stuck on my boob but I can forget about it in a comfy position. Doing the post surgical exercises makes me feel better not worse and they don’t hurt or feel difficult except I can’t quite get that arm to shoulder height yet. I’m very tired of having to not lift anything heavy and the general being weak and needing help stuff but I’m ok and not felt ill at all like the chemo. Hope you’re all doing really well xx
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Thank you. Am in a room out back of a&e now while waiting for a bed elsewhere. Relatively peaceful all things considered! Had about an hour, if that, in main waiting room and then got triaged. So all in all not too bad. Still IN A&E, but it doesn’t feel like A&E 
Had bloods, antibiotics, antisickness as the cannula made me nearly throw up , and an ECG. Now just to lie and wait for final destination, wherever that will be!
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I have decided to own my one sided flatness too
I know I can change my mind, but like you don’t fancy putting myself through more for something I am not sure I want? Gonna be looking at uni bras and stuff 
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Sounds like you are doing well exercises definitely help. I found i could suddenly straighten my arm after a couple of weeks or so it was a momemt of real triumph!
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Hope you manage to get a good night’s sleep my lovely. xxx
@Kara oh no not again! that damn docetaxel really doesnt like you, does it? I think you’re made of stronger stuff than me though, as I wimped out of my last round. hate to think of you back in A & E but at least that really is the last dose of that poison you have to take. hoping you dont have to stay there too long, and that you managed to get some sleep last night? And onwards now to radiotherapy , you’re ahead of me with your planning appointment, hope that goes well .
@zebramoon glad to hear things are still progressing well, and that pain is less than you were expecting. Truly, nothing is as bad as chemo it seems!!! Not surprising you are tired, hope you have good audio books, what are you listenign to? when do you think you will be able to drive again? It’s so frustrating not to feel independent in that way.
@Jaygo @Kara @rubytuesday well done you brave flat warriors, everyone makes the right choice for themselves, and I can definitely understand wanting minimal extra operations/faff. Love the tattoo idea. A friend of mine is a face (and body) painter and has a flat model she creates beautiful works of art on. Could try that ahead of getting a permanent tat to see how it looks? @Jaygo im sure you WILL manage to punk it out. There will of course be wobbles along teh way, but you will find your way through, I’m very sure of it.
sending many hugs to all xxx
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@nib32 
hugs to you too. x
Thank you so so much for sharing, I have decided to go for the same, for the same reasons. I know it will be hard but to be honest, I really want to get back to the living and I think an implant would restrict me over a longer time as I’d always be worried!!
I am trying to slowly imagine myself with a flat side and trying to think of all the strong women who have owned this decision: not to mention the (probably completely false) history of Amazonian women having one flat side for archery x
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Am still in A&E waiting for an oncology bed… I have my own room/cubicle but there is an eternally squeaking door (haunted House vibes) every two minutes. I think I dozed for half an hour in night. Also overheard night staff members debating why chemo patients were even on A&E: “She’s perfectly fine”.
Broke down this afternoon but thankfully the day nurses are lovely and much more understanding.
Stomach being a pest. Scared of c.diff. more scared that no oncology bed will open up and I have to stay a second night in A&E….
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Oh my god I am so sorry just caught up with stuff. Not again! If they think you’re “totally fine” they should try being totally fine for a while… STUPID!! Sending hugs and you can do it!!!
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