Blog Post
12 Comments
Comments have been turned off for this post
- Hi @melzzs and @Stillstanding .... welcome to the club you never thought you'd have to join xx. Well done on joining the reconstruction group, Melzzs ... there will be a wealth of information there that you can access & can ask personal questions in total privacy. xx. I hope your appointment with the surgeon went well.
Feel free to ask ANY questions of us - someone will have had experience with it & will give an honest answer. xx There are NO dumb questions. Hopefully we'll be able to smooth out some of the bumps that many of us have experienced, before we joined the group ...
It is a roller coaster of emotions for sure - so feeling sad, even confused, is totally normal as it has happened to most of us at one stage or another - so don't be afraid to 'let it all out' .... it can be quite cathartic to even have a big SCREAM now & then, probably in the safety of your car, away from other people tho! ;)
And don't forget to ring our helpline on 1800 500 258 to have a chat with our Mods if you'd like a real person to 'chat with' ... Mon-Fri, 9-5 hours.
Make sure you have a trusted friend or relative with you at all your early appointments & even consider recording the appointments on your phone, as it is almost impossible to remember everything that is said at the time.
Have a think about how you are going to tell people - with me, it was on an 'as needs basis' .... telling my nearest & dearest first - some others didn't find out til I sent out the next Xmas Letter, 12 months later! LOL .... and even then, I set up an email that I sent out every other week, so I didn't have to keep repeating the same story over & over ... as it can be quite upsetting for you.
In the mean time, try & keep yourself as busy as you can leading up to your surgery & ongoing treatments, doing things you love doing (I basically went fishing in my kayak every day between initial scans/biopsy & the actual diagnosis!) .... Maybe, consider cooking up some meals & freezing them, making it easier for after you do have your surgery.
Also, check out this post for lots of 'general' info on the forum that you may like to look at too! (Even some funny bits, as we all need a laugh xx) You can show off your garden, your fur-kids, your art & craft ..... or start a new thread, with your favourite hobby! ;)
At the bottom of the post are some Tick Sheet PDFs that you can print off & fill in, to follow your physical and mental health .... that you can take along with you & show your team, if you need xx
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/23477/a-big-welcome-to-all-new-online-network-members#latest
You may also like to check out the podcasts by Charlotte Tottman - as she is a specialist BC Counsellor who was diagnosed with Breast Cancer 4-5 years ago. She's had a double mastectomy, stayed flat and KNOWS what we've all gone thru! She was surprised too, at the emotions she went thru herself, as they were different from what she'd 'thought they were' when she was counseling women prior to her own diagnosis. So she 'gets it'. They are very easy listening too. xx
Go to this link, click on the 'list' (it should show 22 tracks) and start off with No 13 (the first one of Series 1) and work your way thru them.
https://soundcloud.com/search?q=charlotte tottman
Take one step at a time, one day at a time, one hour at a time, if needed xx. And make sure you stay away from Dr Google, as a lot of it is outdated & not relevant to your own diagnosis ... and will only confuse you. Ask important questions of your team (and/or you Breast Care Nurse, when you are connected with one) or us - those that have actually been thru it all x
Take care xx - Stillstanding Melbourne Member Posts: 7 ✭Hi, I’ve had a small break from media, I was getting overwhelmed reading everything every day. So you decided on an implant, I went with my own tissue, as I have a sister that had mast, expander and has had 3 implants. Just her personal journey, so I was trying to avoid that and had a lat dorsi. I’m at the recon surgeons 2mrw, should know when the next surgery will happen. Then my breast surgeon, she did the skin saving mastectomy. Have you got a date yet?
- Stillstanding Melbourne Member Posts: 7 ✭yes im ok, it’s a complication with the recon, was unset naturally, but has to be fixed, just not sure when. Lots of variables with recon. I’m not sure yet that I chose the right one.
- Stillstanding Melbourne Member Posts: 7 ✭This wk an oncologist visit was full of good news, and I really felt comfortable with her. Yes I can do this. Then the recon surgeon, hmm took all the dressing off my back, that was bliss, but front not so good and will be going back to another op. Hmm didn’t need that surprise. Tip 1. I got a special breast pillow from Temu, so cheap and it sits across and under each arm, luv it, protects your chest from seatbelts. 2. Kmart U pillows x 2 covers so cheap, protects my back and lifts arm to rest. My best friends. 3.Wedge pillow from Clark rubber, cannot sleep on my back without it. I have bunch of others. Good luck with the surgeon, do your research, it will help you to understand the choices.
- Stillstanding Melbourne Member Posts: 7 ✭hi again.i did a lot of preparing at home to make the recovery as best as possible. All these little things do help to make the journey barable. Let me know if you need the hints. Hope all goes well, it is overwhelming, the unknown is scary, I just cry when I want too, at least I’m in control of that.
- Stillstanding Melbourne Member Posts: 7 ✭Hi it’s 6.30am and I’m awake, sleeping is hard at the moment. My story started at Breastscreen, recall to hosp, diagnosed a wk later, to my dr, then breast surgeon, then mri, then reconstruction surgeon, then op 2 wks ago. Left breast, no chance of lumpectomy, so mastectomy and latimuss dorsi from my left side back. I’m strapped up and helpless, so in the healing phase, it will be a long one. Hope your coping ok.
