Hello Wicko, I wish I had seen your post earlier but I guess as time moves on one doesn't check the forum as much as you do in earlier days. I was diagnosed early August and didn't make up my mind until end of September. I was being offered a reconstruction with TRAM which meant cutting stomach muscles. Instead I chose immediate reconstruction with DIEP flap, although I had to go further afield to Frenchay hospital because a) I couldn't stand the thought of the ugly flat scar and b) I wanted to have a breast that was still all me and c) I didn't want my muscles impaired. After making the choice for the gold standard I had to wait 7 weeks before the op. That seemed an age but looking back I needed that to get ready physically and emotionally. So now it is 8 weeks since I had the op. Everything hasn't gone smoothly as I am still patiently changing daily a silicone dressing on my boob, as once the dressings came off a huge black area of skin necrosis was revealed. Meanwhile I cannot bath and the whole breast healing process is going to take longer thus delaying any further tidying up or reduction on other boob operation. However, after 4 weeks life virtually goes back to normal and next Monday, after 8 weeks I start a phased return back to work. My advice- everybody's case is different and everybody's recuperation varies. I was told quite vehemently at the beginning that reconstruction is a process, a journey. Things might go quite not according to plan but at the end of the day an extra month off work is nothing in the big scheme of things...and the rest of your life. Go for it. Even though your body will never look the same you will feel more 'whole' whilst having got rid of the cancer baddy. Good luck. You will surprise yourself at how you manage to get through the whole process. Jill x
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