Your diagnosis sounds very similar to mine, and we are the same age. I had my surgery in May, and my only problem was feeling sick after the general anaesthetic. You are bound to be anxious in advance, but once you get there the hospital routine takes over and I’m sure you’ll be well looked after. I was told before I was discharged that my lymph nodes were clear. I recovered really quickly with very little bruising. At the follow up appointment the surgeon was pleased with the outcome and was fairly confident all the cancerous cells had been removed. My pathology report was good with clear margins. However, he still recommended a course of 15 sessions of radiotherapy as a precaution. This seems to be automatic after breast surgery in Sheffield, but may differ at other hospitals. It does seem a wise course of action, so please don’t worry about facing this. It is better to be safe. Do make sure that the hospital staff looking after you while you wait for your op know that you have diabetes. From past experience with my husband, who has Type 2, people with diabetes get priority if there is any delay. Don’t forget to take any medication you may need with you. I presume you’ve checked with the medical people that it’s OK to take arnica. Even herbal remedies can interact with other medication. As for the radiotherapy, it is by no means unpleasant. I’ve only 3 more sessions to go and the only side effect is a reddening of the skin in the fold below my breast. I’m lucky in that the hospital is only a 20 minute bus ride for me, but I’ve been taking crossword puzzles to do on the bus and in the waiting area. Best wishes for Wednesday.
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