Surgery on Thursday. So scared of hospitals. Just want this over!!! Still can’t get head around fact that this is not a quick fix, life changing… Very emotional right now. Xx Tina
Wishing you lots of luck Tina. The waiting is the hardest part - as you know. I’ll be thinking of you, I’m starting my chemo on Friday so I’ll be glad when this week is over too. Thank heavens for this forum! Hope you have a good Sunday, I am up visiting my sister which is lovely and takes my mind off everything, are you working this week? Chris xx
Hi Tina,
How did it go?
I am due on nov/5. I am dreading it.
G
Hi everyone
i am new to the forum , I have surgery tomorrow and feeling very nervous . I had a lumpectomy and SNB in September following a routine mammogram , clear margins in breast so all clear there but one of the two lymph nodes came back positive. So op tomorrow to remove all lymph nodes followed by chemo , radiotherapy and hormone treatment .just need to get through tomorrow feeling calm at the moment but have been in tears a lot this week and worried about the op and the recovery afterwards. I have a lovely husband family and friends and supportive employer which helps. Can’t believe how quickly life can change but feeling positive (most of time !), loosing my hair has upset me the most but now I have two wigs ready and waiting I feel that I can cope with it although I am sure there will be tears when my lovely hair falls out. Good luck to all you lovely ladies . Jane X
Tandy, I found it a relief, was glad to get it over and out of me! Best sleep I had had in months too. Lol. You will be fine. Deep breath x x Lorna x
Well had my surgery yesterday , all went to plan and I had such fantastic care from all the hospital staff. The pain this time is much worse and I have a drain in place which makes it difficult to get comfortable. I am taking all the pain killers I am allowed so I can move around but also resting more this time.
I agree that it’s the thought of the operation that is worse because once you are finally get into hospital you just deal with it and cope. Tina you will be ok and this time next week you will be recovering and back home. None of us choose to have BC and it is scary but I am trying to stay positive although I do still have my teary days ?.
Take care all you lovely ladies and stay strong ?
Jane X
Hi Tina
was that last Thursday? How how are you? I have my mastectomy this Thursday, up and down but have had a lot of delays so relieved to get a date.
Jennie
Tandy - me again Darlin.
Left you posts elsewhere but meant/forgot to say . . . That’s fantastic that your nipple can be preserved in your Thurs op. That was my hardest issue with my masts - losing my nipples. Not just from the visual aspect, but also from the sensitive sensual sexual aspect. Sorry to be so personal - but it was of huge importance to me because I had exTREMELY sensitive nips and they’d played a huge part in instigating much of sexual activity !!
Lotsa love to everyone, Delly xx
Hi Jennie and Tina hope all goes well with your ops on Thursday , I will be thinking if you both. My my advice is to keep on top of your pain with the painkillers they give you and rest as much as you can . I have been doing the exercises they gave me and found that they are helping a lot with the numbness and nerve pain from the lymph node clearance .
I have been up and down emotionally and in much more pain this time around but the drain I have in is not as bad as I feared - it is due out this Thursday . My follow up appointment is on 23rd and the BC nurse thinks that I probably start chemo before Christmas . I went to choose a wig with my daughters and sister a couple of weeks ago and have one very similar to my own hair - loosing my hair is upsetting me the most but getting the wig is a relief and makes me feel more in control.
I am still keeping positive but starting to realise the journey I have ahead of me, thank god I went for my routine mammogram and they did a lumpectomy and SNB as I had no noticeable lump or symptoms and would be none the wiser now ,
Take care
Jane xx
Ooh I hate nipple, you can have mine! Lol couldn’t breast feed…Can’t stand the thought of it. Bad mum ;( x
Hello lovely people
Lorna - hey LusciousLorna, I’m finding your nips reaction difficult to understand. They’re an extremely sensitve erogenous zone for many of us, besides the breastfeeding side. It’s interesting that you feel that way about them. Have you had a bad experience or feel that yours are abnormal’ or something ? cos after all, they’re part of YOU. Have a think on that one 'cos I know your a very spiritual, mentality thinking person and, forgive me, I can’t rememb what your BC treatments have been. Refresh/remind me will you.
Meg, Windchime and anyone else having to go through losing your hair - How extremely upsetting and TOUGH for you to have to deal with, on top of the ‘C’ factor (effin awful disease in other words). I’ll be round with a bottle of your favourite wine/tipple for you to have a glug, and shoulder to blub on - ok ?.
Meg59 - does the 59 signify your vintage me dear ? If so, an excellent year - only 'cos I share it myself !! (note I say vintage and not age!) I’m so glad to hear you sound to be doing brilliantly well. May it continue.
Jenni - both you and Tina are in on the same day, Thurs - I was going to say, 'both on the ‘op table’ the same day (!). and yes, what you are facing IS and seems a hugely traumatic experience. Please trust me from my two mastectomies, it wont be half as bad as you thought. I’m talking dealing with the immediate physical surgery/recovery aspect here, not the possible mental impact. That can be a totally different matter. But both of you, for the time being, need to just concentrate on getting rid and then healing up.
* Exercises* - hugely massively important. I was in for 5 days for both mx, Physios came round on day 3 to teach us and then DO. Regularly/OFTEN. Can’t stress how important to be STRICT with yourself.The mor often you DO, the QIUCKER you’ll RECOVER back to your normal movement. Do 'em every hour if you want Swartzennaand can, because it wont do any harm, only good.
The whole current - in and out within 2 days, home with drains, DIY dressing changes, then DIY exercises, + no immediate nursing care or medical team to hand at home, quite frankly stinks. i’ve a good mind to petition against it. But, you’re gonna have to do the best you can without receiving the same care we did back in the days of mine 2006/2007. Sorry, I’ve gone off on a political RANT 'cos it’s all down to lack of funding - which is due to badly managed funds by politicians/ government who’ve never even had to go through it. Galls me! Sorry I’ve gone off on one.
Anyway, listen, please TRUST me. Once you go down for your op, as Lorna said, it IS the VERY
best sleep ever and a huge relief, because you’ve been so understandably worried leading up to it all. It’s all alien, you don’t know what to expect, it’s that being “a new kid at a new school” unknown and not liking it factor etc, etc. Then Yeh, huge relief that it’s gone (as much as is poss)
Gone on long enough, Will be thinking of you on Thursday. And I haven’t even got round to the rest of you, so sorry. In the words of Arnie Swarzennager - “I’ll be baaack” not too much later
Love to all of you, Delly xxx
Hi Delly - Yes I am a fifty niner - what a good year!
Tina - about the wigs - I think you can get a NHS wig but I am not sure if it is means tested and what they are like. I decided to buy mine privately and on the advice of a friend who has been through chemo for BC went to chose one before loosing my hair so that I could get a close match . The shop I went to was recommended to me and they have over 2000 wigs in stock. Although I tried on a few it was actually the first one I tried that I brought. I took my sister and daughters with me for support and I got very tearful when it came to trying a wig as the whole BC and treatment suddenly hit me. But the lady wig fitter was lovely and I left feeling very relieved that I had a wig ready. We went to the pub afterwards to toast the wig!
I actually have 2 synthetic wigs both the same to last me through the chemo and afterwards until my hair grows. Although they are expensive you don’t pay the VAT as a cancer patient and I got the second one half price.
I have them both out on foam heads in my bedroom and try them on regularly to get used to them. I am thinking of buying a fringe to wear under beanie hats too. I hope to go to work part time during chemo but am starting to realise that you can’t always plan your life when you have BC !
I am feeling a bit low today and teary and the kindness of my friends and family today is making me cry more , it is just once of those days ? but this forum and you ladies really help !
Jane xxx??
Hi windchime , feeling better this morning and looking forward to having my drain removed. Thanks for your kind thoughts ? .
Jeanie and Tina good luck to you both today for your operations , sending positive vibes and big hugs your way ?.
Jane xx
Hope the ops went well today and you are feeling OK. xxx
Hope both your ops went well ladies. . Keep smiling x
Tina and Jennie - I hope all went well with you both today and you aren’t as sore/uncomfortable as you thought. Are you both staying “in” for a few days or are you being sent home asap ???
Yey Meg 59 - “Cheers to the wig” from me too. I have to take my hat off to you with how your coping despite you saying how upset you are. I think the upset is a combination of so many factors - it’s a huge shock and you’re having to deal with so much that isn’t “normal” to your life regarding the disease and treatments so you’re bound to feel emotional. I’m so glad you’re receiving so much support.
Hi to everyone else, hope you are all okay too
Lotsa love Delly xxx
Hey Sweetiepie, Dellydoodaa here,
I’m not following lovey sorry. You’re saying you are waiting 3 weeks on results ? but know for defo chemo in January? Forgive me if I’m being a bit thick, what are the results you’re waiting for in 3 weeks if you’re saying that you’ve already been told - chemo in Jan. Please explain/fill me in.
Delly xxx
Claire - have got that you’re waiting this after. Yeh, ut’s pants!! Meet you in your kitchen, put your favourite dance tracks on for a mad bop - well your dancing may not be as mad as mine.
See you later lovey xxx
rught Tins think i’ve got the gist, thanks for that. So are the results going to decide what type of chem they use then, that it.
Hot flushes are the pits, was it you who told me the various treatment trials that’d been done ? Took me a while on the FFS !! Not seen that before, ha, but I’m a bit tired so early night. Yes thanks, Chloe’s home, managed some prawns, am gonna have fun getting 3 lots of tabs down her this week. Thank goodness it’s not all the time, prob back to one when more settled. Poor little leg, where hair shaved for drip, looks like you could snap it, she so tiny. She purrs whatever, needles, injections, always sooo good natured. Just dreadfully, dreadfully thin
hope you get your answers soon.Nitey, Nitey xx
Hi to everyone else, hope you’re all going on okay. No news on Claire yet, am wondering but hoping it’s not because it’s bad xx
Think it was Claire eho advised me of trials done for various treatmnets carried out on hot flushes and their effect if any
Delly xx