Hi Folks,
I’ve recently been diagnosed and after waiting for what seems like a lifetime my lumpectomy is tomorrow. I’m having feelings of dread and also just wanting to get treatment started. Honestly I can’t believe a month ago my life was all sunny and rosy and then boom, and here I am now. I still feel that it’s unreal but I think tomorrow the realisation of what is happening and how my life has changed forever is gonna hit me.
I have got great support with friends and family but I really needed to reach out to you wonderful folk on here as you are travelling a similar path to me.
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Hi cazzie123, just want to wish you best of luck tomorrow. You will he absolutely fine. I had lumpectomy coming up on 2 years ago. In 7.30 am and discharged just after 5pm. Take something to read as can be a bit of a wait. I had 2 wounds. One for lumpectomy and the other for lymph nodes. It was the lymph node area that was the most painful. Make sure you do the excercises they provide as they do prevent and ease shoulder stiffness.
Will be thinking about you tomorrow. Best wishes x
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Hi Cazzie
The waiting is over which is the worst part
Glad you have great support , for when you get home I agree with @poorlyboob you will be fine i felt no pain just where nodes were removed felt tight and sore , I used heart pillow under my arm stopped seat belt rubbing when I was driven home .
Rest as much as you can don’t over do it give your body time to recover.
Sending best wishes for tomorrow xxx
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I am also having surgery tomorrow. A lumpectomy and lymph nodes. Really not looking forward to it and trying not to think about it. I’m in a hotel and the taxi is booked for 6.30am. Its in the AM and have to be there at 7. I have been waiting to finish blood thinners as finished chemo in Nov as got sepsis and a dvt. Anyway goodluck.
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Hi cazzie123. Best wishes for tomorrow. My lumpectomy is scheduled for March 17th and I know what you mean, the time between diagnosis and treatment beginning is bizarre. I feel fine but know I’m not and it’s sometimes hard to know how to feel about things! Think when my surgery comes around I’ll feel much like you. Anyway, you’re not alone and I’m glad you have people to support you.
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Good luck to both of you having surgery tomorrow. The waiting is always the worst. I’ll be thinking of you tomorrow xx
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Hi Linda
Good luck for tomorrow , you have got this after all you already been through Xx
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Hi Linda, I’m leaving the house at 6:30am as well - keep thinking it’s early but probably wont sleep much anyway. We’ll be going through this at literally the same time. Hope all goes well for you and you get a decent few hours sleep tonight, C xx
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Dear Cazzie,
We are all here with love and support, wishing you the very best of luck for tomorrow.
Drink plenty of water, rest, and most of all be kind to yourself please come back when your feeling upto letting us know how your doing.
Lots of love with health and happiness ahead.
Tili 
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Dear Linda-Corinne,
Will be thinking of you tomorrow, wishing you lots of luck, take good care, rest with some well deserved treats.
Come back and let’s us know how you’re doing.
With the biggest hugs Tili
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Wishing you all the best for tomorrow x
A little cushion under your arm pit can help post surgery and a padded seat belt protector when in the car will help prevent seatbelt rubbing on your surgery site .
Get plenty of rest and drink plenty of water to help you recover from the surgery and the anaesthetic x
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Good luck to both of you - not that you will need it. Soon be over and you will be home. Take it easy. xx
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Good luck to you both. Almost a year ago today I was in a very similar position, I had a mastectomy, the lymph nodes - I had four removed - was the worst. Keep doing the exercises afterwards, they really help and I still do them occasionally now. I recall a month feeling petrified whilst having all the tests and results then another waiting for the surgery. By my surgery date I was just so glad they were going to remove it. A year on, chemo is done, my body is changed forever and my mind too but it’s still my body and I’m now used to the scars being part of me. I hope it all goes well for you, stay strong x
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@cazzie123 and @greenqueen welcome to the forum nobody wants to join but will get so much from it. The people on here are so supportive and helpful.
Good luck with your surgery tomorrow @cazzie123 and @Linda_Corinne so pleased you are on your next stage of your treatment.
Take your pain killers for the first couple of days and start your exercises when you can. Don’t be hard on yourself if it’s a bit of a struggle you will get there eventually. I had a bilateral lumpectomy wore a soft bra 24/7 for the first two weeks. I was advised by my surgeon to do so as I had larger boobs and it can help with the scar healing with your boobs not moving. Front fastening tops and PJs were very useful.
See you on the other side.
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Hi cazzie123
I had surgery on 11th November and like poorlyboob I had 2 wounds. I started the exercises day after surgery as advised by breast care nurse I didn’t have much pain and healed really well. I agree waiting is the worst.
Sending best wishes for tomorrow you will be fine you’ve got this xx
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I am now 6 weeks post surgery (bilateral lumpectomies and some lymph nodes) and I have healed well. Underarms are still a bit sensitive, but not painful. My front fastening post-surgery bras have been a definite help - I’m so pleased that I bought them (but I do have larger breasts, so needed the support!). Front fastening PJs are also good. And definitely do the exercises! I had some cording, but got rid of it myself by continuing with the exercises.
Good luck, ladies - the waiting on the day is a bit nerve-wracking, but the surgery is really not too bad. Afterwards, be sensible and don’t overdo it, take the paracetamols for a few days, and you’ll be fine. Sending good vibes xx
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Hi Linda, I had my surgery 4 weeks ago. Try not to worry, I worried as I hadn’t asked for help from other people’s experiences. As much as it can be, because we would all prefer not to be going through this, it turned out to be an easy experience for the most part. I took a book as there were long wait times but the hospital staff were all amazing. Had surgery around 3pm and went home at 8pm. Following surgery, yes there has been pain but all very bearable for me ( we are all different ). Worst pain was in my arm but I have done the exercises from day after surgery and moisturise and massage my arm, this bit really does help ( upwards movements as the nurse instructed me). Worst bit for me was that I was fatigued for 10 days and slept around 18 hours each day!! Then 2 days couldn’t sleep and now back to normal. Driving after 2 weeks and currently feeling brilliant apart from dreading the chemo that starts in 2 weeks so I am going to love every day until it starts. I hope this helps, for me the surgery day was a breeze compared to what I had expected. Take care, rest, rest some more and follow the nurses instructions for your arm exercises as it really helps. 🩷x
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Yes I was same as you remembering just a few weeks earlier I was excited and planning to look for a new car, then got home after my walk and opened a letter referring me to the breast clinic. I felt everything had changed and it did for a while, but that was over 3 years ago and I have since changed my car twice! Good luck for tomorrow, I was back home same day early evening and felt fine. I could not believe that I had an operation that morning as I did not feel any different to normal. They told me to take paracetamol if needed but I did not take any. I live on my own so had to do everything myself as normal straight afterwards and I was fine.
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Hi @cazzie123
Same as you I kept expecting a realisation that my life was changed forever to hit. I just wanted to say that may not happen, and that’s perfectly normal too. When I was diagnosed life changed for a while, but after surgery soon went back to normal. Sometimes I think we can be afraid of saying that it wasn’t as bad or life altering as we feared or we have moved on from it because of worrying that may be interpreted as insensitive or lacking in empathy, but that’s genuinely not the case. Cancer is such a big thing it’s hard to imagine your life not being changed forever but for many, many people it can, and does, go back to being sunny and rosy. I hope it is the case for you.
Best of luck with everything today. x
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Hello lovely ladies.
I wish you all the very best for your surgeries that are most likely completed by now.
Get home, rest and enjoy the best cup of tea and cake. Well thats what I did 2yrs ago after single mastectomy.
Take all the help and more thats offered to you.
Take it slowly, rest when your body tells you to, and do the exercises given to you. Sending very gentle hugs XXX
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