Hi.
Just wanting an overview of others, regarding the time from diagnosis, surgery, treatment and hormone therapy if needed.
It’s been almost 2 and half years since being diagnosed. Initial mastectomy was within a week, chemotherapy a couple of months later and then hormone therapy a couple after that. Now i feel that I just want to get on with my life, as my cancer treatment was preventive. Im now just left with a massive scar on one side and an oversized breast on the other. I was told to just have a single mastectomy and no reconstruction at the time, because I have other health issues and too much surgery or anesthetic could cause complications. Ive been told im on a waiting list to finish off the surgery, but no date a year on from this.
In the meantime, I’ve had to spend money i didn’t really have on various bras, prosthesis, clothes which all don’t fit very well, because of the massive differences on my chest I now have.
I must admit, this is getting me down, especially as I don’t have a date for a succession of treatments and operations.
Im self employed part time, so I want to get myself better prepared workwise, so I can have the time off to recover and not worry about money( i had to drop everything and have the mastectomy) so I can’t afford to do that again.
I just feel stuck in limbo and a bit forgotten. I didn’t have a very good team in the breast care clinics or Oncology, so I don’t have much faith in the aftercare. It’s all just very upsetting.
Hi
Sorry to hear you are stuck in limbo and that i can’t give you any positive feed back but I understand how you feel.
I had chemo, lumpectomy and radiotherapy 3yrs ago and i am now on tamoxifen. Although i did not have a mastectomy my lumpectomy left me with a large dent in my breast and also left me 2 cup sizes smaller. Because I still have a breast and am not flat I can’t wear a prosthesis so my bras do not fit and also my tops do not fit and i don’t have a cleavage.
I feel like you that i can’t move on from this cancer journey and have just been forgotten.
I spoke to my surgeons secretary in January and was told i am on the waiting list for reconstruction but has no idea how long I will have to wait she could not give me any idea of a time frame and this is now affecting my mental health.
My care from diagnosis to finishing radiotherapy was outstanding but aftercare is awful
I hope you get the answer you want sooner than later and sorry i cant give you more positive feedback but you are not alone.
Hi Cal50.
Thanks for your response. It seems that now the immediate danger is over, then that’s the end of health intervention, but all diseases are both physical and mental. The mental side can be just as difficult to cope with; the not knowing, your appearance etc…
I hope you can conclude your journey too.