I am a 49 year old expat (Scot) living in the middle east who was diagnosed with IDC of one lump (8 Oclock)an precancer of another (7 oclock). My initial diagnosis following core biopsies was on 23rd Dec 2016. Thanks Santa, not what i expected for my chrimbo for sure. On return to middle east MRI of breasts revealed another lump on the same breast at 2 oclock position. As my mohter had died from breast cancer and i have an aunt with breast cancer, a mastectomy was recommended. Things have moved really quickly here an as stated i am now 2 weeks post mastectomy and DIEP reconstruction. My SLNB was negative (thank god). I am doing okay from the Op but was more than i had anticipated. I am awaiting final staging results to see what treatment (if any) i have to recieve now. As things have moved real quick i am still not sure that i have taken it all in properly, they tell me i am sick but i dont feel sick, i feel like it all a big mistake. I am not sure i am even making any sense here but just wanted to reach out and say hi, see that i am not going crazy. Thanks for listening.
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hi Maxi,
No, you’re not going crazy! & welcome to the forum.
Aside from symptoms that led to diagnosis, very few of us have any other symptoms & feel as well as normal, so it is a shock. I had no idea at all as it was picked up on screening, not even a palpable lump.
There is plenty of support here from those who are going through treatment at the same stage as you are, or are further down the road, so do come & chat whenever you need to.
ann x
Hi Maxi - wow you have the same as me! I was diagnosed before Xmas with IDC around 6 o’clock then MRI showed another 3 tiny lumps around 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock so had a mastectomy on Wednesday this week with immediate implant reconstruction. They did an SNB but said they looked normal so have results in 4 weeks for what if any treatment I need. I am also 49.
First of all Im sorry that you have found yourself on here but trust me if youre going to get any comfort it will be on here …that might sound strange but it really is a comforting place .
No youre definately not going mad …its sounds as though you feel everything is surreal . Im sure thats pretty normal too . I felt my journey was surreal and even now Im 8 weeks post op mx and diep it still feels unreal that I had BC .
I initially thought the serenity was a phase and it would end and I would break down and cry but I havent ! .
I dont even think about what I feel now let alone worry about it . Im just concentrating on getting my fitness back so I can return to work and hopefully normality … I was asked today if I thought differently about life now and I said that I didnt know … and truthfully I dont know .
All I do know is when I was diagnosed I did hear the word cancer loud and clear …but it didnt change me as a person and everything was out of my control so all I could do was trust what Id been told , listen to the options and make my choices and believe that Id made the right ones . The only other thing for me was to get on with my life as best I could and ride with the good and bad days . I was very fortunate in my journey compared to many many women on here . Nevertheless I completely understand how you may feel its all a mistake and this isnt real … I hope that youre ok . Its good news that the node biopsy was clear . You are being listened to …keep talking Steph xxx