Breast Cancer Now Forum

Thank you for all the answers ladies I think I will give it a go and see how I get on with it. I'll just have to take a bigger book with me for the extra time!!! Wishing you all the best Chris xx ... View more

Hi Alex As the ladies above have said it is a very personal question and we all feel different, also I think it is dependant on a lot of different things such as size of lump, where the lump is and how big/small your breasts are. I had a lumpectomy two weeks ago, a full mastectomy was never mentioned by my Dr's, like you, I had a smallish lump which they have removed with clear margins and no lymph involvment and, as my breast care nurse would put it, I am fairly heavy breasted so once the swelling goes down I will only have a small dent in the top of my breast and the scar runs round the edge of my nipple so once heeled will not be all that noticable. As for work, again, I think that is a personal question dependent on how you feel and how understandable and flexible your company is. I am in the lucky postion to work for a small company whom I have been with for many years and who are very understanding. I worked up until my op then took the two weeks off that my Dr signed me off for afterwards. I go back to work tomorrow until I start chemo in 3 weeks then I shall take it as it comes, I will work if I am able, as I am in accounts a lot of my work is computer based so I have asked my company to set up a remote connection for me so that if I do not feel able to acutally go into the office I can work from home, as no-one knows how chemo will affect them until they start I can't really plan more than that. The main thing though Alex is for you to speak to your BCN and Dr's and to get as much information from them as you can about your situation so that you can make the decisions that are best for you. You might find it a help to take a family member or close friend with you to the appointments so you have a second pair of ears to hear all the information and have someone you can talk it through with and use as a bit of a sounding board to help make things clearer in your own mind so you make these decisions. I wish you all the best, take care. Chris xx ... View more

Thank you ladies for your answers I'll have a think about it and may just give it a go. All the best to you all Chris xx ... View more

Thank you ladies some great ideas there, still no pain just a slight ache yesterday but nothing major, able to move my arm fairly normally already. Like you Lola I've decided not to wear a bra around the house. Hubby took me out to lunch yesterday and I put a bra on then, it's a size bigger than normal and was comfortable enough although I was pleased to take it off when we got in. Like you say we are all different so I'll just take it as it comes xx ... View more

Morning Ladies Chris, that's great news that the margins are clear what a releif for you and I've got my fingers and toes crossed that your margins will come back clear this time too Sam. Looks like I've got the pain to look forward to next week then, I'll make the most of it while the no pain stage lasts lol. I did have lovely cool glass of white wine last night with my meal that my lovely hubby made for me. Enjoy the rest of the weekend before the thunderstorms start. Love to you both Chris xx ... View more

Hi Whiterose Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience and waiting for results is always so stressfull it's like being in the waiting room but your results are coming through quite quick Wednesday is not to long wait atlhough I know it feels like it at the moment. Please don't google as this will do your mind in and a lot of the information you get will be out of date, stay with this site and Macmillan where you will find good up to date information. As Deborah says, between now and Wednesday write down all the questions that come to you so you can get all the informantion you need. Try and take a friend with you if you can for support for you and a second pair of ears as it's hard at times like this to take everything in on your own. In the mean time, and I know it's not easy, try not to think to much and stay positive. I wish you all the luck on Wednesday, let us know how you get on. Sending you (((hugs))) Chris x ... View more

Hi Pips I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago and am having my lumpectomy and sentinal node biopsy this Friday. It all seems so unreal and as though it is happening to someone else to begin with and very scary but I've found the ladies on here very supportive so keep positing and try to keep positive. Sending you lots of (((hugs))) Chris x ... View more

Hi Nic Wishing you all the best for your op on Monday, try and have a nice weekend in the sun and not worry to much before it. all the best Chris xx ... View more

Hi all Lois that was a great post you summed up so well how I have been feeling in the past 3 weeks since being dx. Most of the time I seem to be doing ok, keeping positive, my surgery is next Friday WLE and SNB and I have to say I just want it done so I know what we are dealing with. Samjs it's great to hear you being jovial it certainly lifted my spirits when I read your post. Have a great time by the sea, try and relax and forget all this for a few days. Sunflowerfan I'm glad to hear your op went ok and good luck for your results on Frida, until then take the advice of your family and friends and relax and recoup a little you deserve it don't you. Take care all and have a lovely weekend in the sun. Love Chris ... View more

Hi Ladies I hope your ops went well yesterday Chris and samjs and you are both feeling ok. It's good to hear you are doing ok after yours yesterday as well Maggiemay22. My wobble seems to have gone for the time being and am feeling a lot more positive and a lot of that has to do with all the lovely messages and support from you all thank you for that. All the best Chris xx ... View more

Hi Ladies Well i finally got the date for my op on Friday it's the 19th July. I'm releived to have a date but also it's made it all the more real now, I suppose in the last couple of weeks, although the knowledge that I have breast cancer is always just below the surface, I've managed to keep positive about it but today for some reason I'm not doing so well and keep having to fight the tears back. I often feel it's not real and it's not me it's happening too almost like I'm a stranger looking in, is that normal!!!!? I'm imagining that in the time since diagnosis and the op it's going to spread feeling quite scared today. I feel better just writing down how I feel and I know it's just a glich and I'll get back to being positive. I wish you all the best on Wednesday Sunflowerfan and Jan and pendragon for next week and please let me know how you get on. Love and hugs ((())) to you all. Chris ... View more

That's really great news so pleased for you xx ... View more

Hi Justsusie Wishing all the best for this afternoon I do hope it's good news. Chris xx ... View more

Try not to be worried, easier said than done I know. When my GP referrered me to the Breast Clinic he said that goverment guidelines say that all women who have been referred should be seen within 2 weeks, I am lucky that in our area our hospital stick to the guidelines and all women are seen in that time scale as a matter of course. Now you won't have so long to wait and worry which is the worst bit. I hope all goes well for you. Best of luck Chris xx ... View more

Hi Alex I'm sorry to hear you are going through a bad time at the moment but do try and keep positive, hopefully the tests on the new lump will come back good. I was diagnosed with BC last week, my lump is small, 1 cm, so I will have an operation to remove it and then radiotherapy. It is all very scarey and the waiting for results is the worst thing but keep positive and whenever you need to talk I know the ladies on this forum are here to listen. Although I am in the UK so, as Jo says above, the treatments may be a bit different our feelings and thoughts are the same and we do know how you feel. All the best to you and please let me know how you get on. Chris xx ... View more

Thank you ladies for all your words of encouragement it really means a lot to me knowing there are people out there that understand how you feel. I wish you all the best and as you all say staying positive is the key and that is what I intend to do. Cath I hope everything goes well on the 1st and fingers crossed you will be ok to go in November what a fantastic place to get married and something really special to look forward too. Sending you all big hugs Thank you Chris xx ... View more

Hi Nic I am sorry to hear that and hope all goes well on the 15th but hopefully we will talk again before that. You also keep positive this WILL NOT beat us. I thank all you ladies for your support it helps so much. Keep strong and lots of hugs to you all. xx ... View more

Hi Sue Well I got my results yesterday and not what I hoped, got grade 3 cancer but on the positive side it's only a cm big so they are going to remove it and look at the lymph nodes at the same time, if it hasn't spread there then that's good if they find it there then they are going to remove all the lymph nodes in the same op. The Dr says she doesn't think it's spread there yet as she can't feel anything and the ultra sound there was clear but of course we won't know for sure until they do the op. So onwards and upwards lets get it out and see what stage it is. It all feels a bit unreal at the moment as though it's happening to someone else I suppose, one minute I'm totally positive and it's just a minor glitch and the next I think I'm going to die and want to disolve in tears I suppose this is normal!!!! All my family, friends and work are being really supportive and I'm totally going to fight this it's not getting me I've got to much more to do yet. xx Top ... View more