Have just joined the forum to help me cope with this scary process. I was diagnosed in June, have had a mastectomy with an expander implant and am waiting for my appointment with the oncologist before starting chemo. The tumour was 3cm and grade 3 but the lymph nodes are clear. I fluctuate between fear and sadness and I am finding it a very lonely experience, friends and family don’t know what to say but their reassurances that ‘it will be ok’ are well meant but meaningless. Are there any of you out there who feel the same…?
Hello Jaxg
Welcome to the forums, this must be a very difficult time for you. I’m sure other users will be along to support you soon.
In the meantime, maybe you would like to talk things through with a member of our helpline staff who are there to offer emotional support as well as practical information. The free phone number is 0808 800 6000 and the lines are open Monday to Friday 9.00 to 5.00 and Saturday 10.00 to 2.00.
Best wishes
June, moderator
Jaxg, I’m sorry that you are feeling alone. You are not and will find a lot of support on here. I think those of us with bc can only truly understand what it feels like. I agree that fear is a horrible emotion and true sorrow is something I have experienced. I had mx and tissue expander implants last Thursday. I was on such a high afterwards but am now feeling quite low. My family are being overly anxious ( not my husband, who has been blooming marvellous). It’s awful for my parents but they are projecting their anxiety onto me, which makes me feel I have to pretend that I am better than I am.
im not having chemo, but I can imagine that a lot of your worries are related to that. Have you got a date for chemo starting ? There is a thread for those starting in August and I’m sure there will be one for September. I heard yesterday that there are 50 women on the August chemo thread.
I think it must take a long time to come to terms with a bc diagnosis, I was diagnosed in May and its only just hitting me.
take care of yourself, focus on you and getting well. Take pleasure in small things and get plenty of rest
i wish all the best
Z xxx
Hi Jaxg.
I feel just like you do and it’s only coming on here that I realise that what I’m feeling is perfectly normal. Other people’s comments might be well-meant but they can’t truly understand what you’re going through. Both my surgeon and my BCN have said that BC doesn’t just affect you physically but psychologically/emotionally. When I queried feeling so down as mine was quite a “good” diagnosis (ie caught early and hasn’t spread) the BCN said that didn’t matter, it’s still a cancer diagnosis.
All the best. Maggie xx