Firstly I'd like to say THANK YOU!
Thank you to not just the couple of girlz that have allowed me as their contacts, but every one on this website, it has made things so much easier over the last couple of days to see peoples opinions and read their experiences, it makes it easier to cope with the speed bump that life has decided to throw @ me and know that I am not really alone.
My journey started with a routine trip to the doctors to get my depo shot, every visit my doctors hassle me to get a pap smear, every visit I turn them down but my doctor got somewhat cranky this time (could of been because it had been about 10 years since the previous one) with my long awaited pap smear she offered to do a breast check so I thought why not i am uncomfortable anyway. She found a fatty lump so two days later i was off to get an ultrasound. The fatty lump was nothing but the small calcified lumps that were discovered in my right breast made them a bit worried, so it was back to the doctors to get refered for a mammogram, i was not overly worried as back in 2000 i had both ultrasound and mammogram for cysts. It was not until i was leaving the diognostic centre after my mammogram and they told me that 'your doctor needs to see you tomorrow @ midday' that i started to worry........just a bit. Within a week i went in for a core biopsy, due to all the easter public holidays and labour day i finally was able to get in to see my doctor for my results two weeks later. By this time having two weeks to think about family history I was not surprised when she said it was cancer...........it was still a shock to hear it come out of her mouth. That was last Thursday, today I went in thinking this would be the first of many specialist/surgeon appointments, still a bit baffelled now and cannot believe that next Tuesday I shall go into the private hospital up the road and have a double mastectomy and the start of my reconstruction. Every time over the last couple of years when various close relatives went through their fight with breast cancer I thought what if i every get breast cancer? And every time I came to the conclusion due to family history that I would get em both taken off at once......... don't want to be lopsided........ don't want it to occur again. My specialist was glad that I brought it up first and said that is what she was going to recommend based on the history it was good to be on the same wave legnth, but i will miss my nipples (i can still stay positive and have a joke told mum today that eventually i will be able to wear singlets in the cold without it looking tacky) but i will miss them all the same, yes i know you can get them reconstructed also but to me that is not the same I may just get butterflies or stars tattooed there instead..........mum did not like this idea at all as my tats are the bane of her existence, but it is not as if she has to look at those ones (just the massive tats everywhere else 
The only other thing I will miss is my morning ciggy with my can of V, (yes I am one of those lepurs that you see in those quardened off zones in public spaces, but i am surprisingly fit I ride, jog and swing 18kg milk crates around most of the day @ work) but I know that I have to give them up by sunday this week and in the long run I will be better off for it. I am hoping to take sunday and monday off work, they owe me toil, hell i may just tell them i need to spend some final quality time with my boobs before i say goodbye to the old ones. Hope everyone else's journey is treating them well. Sorry to go on and on, hope i have not bored you all to tears but i needed to get this out. Thanks to all again
Kim
PS My specialist is almost certain that i will not need radium or chemo, and for this I feel blessed.
Comments
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Hey again Kim,
Nice to read your story and like many ladies first said to me 'welcome to the club, noone wants to be in'
That is great to hear that you may not need chemo or radiotherapy and that u can still have ur sense of humour.
What kind of reconstruction are u getting done?
I'm sure your work will understand, how long are u planning on having off?
When will u find out your test results after your mastecomy?
I like ur idea about ur tattoo nipples. i joke all the time about how I got a boob job and i freaked my mum out the other day when i said infront of my grandma im gonna get a tattoo after my boob job, everyone laughed and my mum just looked shocked, i had to tell her later the tattoo was my nipple lol....
I havent smoked in about 3 or so years so I did not have to quit smoking for this, but I wish u all the luck and totally sympathise with u about the V too... I dont really miss the V yet, kinda on the coffee at the moment, but I think when I return to work then I will start to crave it again. doctor didnt tell me to go off V but it is sooooo unhealthy and I'm gonna try and stay healthy from now on...
this website is such a great place to let it all out and trust me we never get bored reading each others stories and helping people thru this journey.
Merylee
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Hi there Kim, so pleased you joined us here in the "Land of Blog" and thank you for sharing your story with us.
Life has turned into a ever-spinning whirlwind for you over the last month or so hasn't it and I'm sure you'll be wanting it all to stop ..... you'll be wanting to go into hospital for a rest !!!! I'm like you, I have a really off - beat sense of humour, it helps!!!! It is better to laugh than to cry but in saying that crying, venting, chucking a tantrum, getting it all out of the system is good for you too.
That's what our blog pages are all about - sharing the good and the bad times. Most of the time, whatever you are going through now - someone has already "been there, done that". Our journeys are very different but we are all on the same track .... helping our mates deal with this bloody thing none of us wanted.
Like you - after my mastectomy I didn't need chemo or radiotherapy but on Arimidex for five years (actually there are three years and eight months left, but who's counting???)
You make sure you take care of yourself .... YOU are your number one priority!!!
Call in for a chat whenever you feel like, there will always be someone here "haunting the halls"
Cheers .... Shirl xx
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Hi there Kim, so pleased you joined us here in the "Land of Blog" and thank you for sharing your story with us.
Life has turned into a ever-spinning whirlwind for you over the last month or so hasn't it and I'm sure you'll be wanting it all to stop ..... you'll be wanting to go into hospital for a rest !!!! I'm like you, I have a really off - beat sense of humour, it helps!!!! It is better to laugh than to cry but in saying that crying, venting, chucking a tantrum, getting it all out of the system is good for you too.
That's what our blog pages are all about - sharing the good and the bad times. Most of the time, whatever you are going through now - someone has already "been there, done that". Our journeys are very different but we are all on the same track .... helping our mates deal with this bloody thing none of us wanted.
Like you - after my mastectomy I didn't need chemo or radiotherapy but on Arimidex for five years (actually there are three years and eight months left, but who's counting???)
You make sure you take care of yourself .... YOU are your number one priority!!!
Call in for a chat whenever you feel like, there will always be someone here "haunting the halls"
Cheers .... Shirl xx
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Hi Kim
I'm fairly new to this group too and have found it to be a great resource for info as well as support from these lovely ladies.
You sound like a strong woman with a great attitude. It's great news that you probably wont need chemo or radiotherapy!
I have had mastectomy of the left breast and as I dress each morning and try not to look lopsided I often think that maybe I should have done both - but everything happened so quickly and it just didn't come up. I had a tissue expander and am currently going through chemo. Over the next few months I need to think about what type of reconstruction to have - more decisions! I'll be interested to hear how you go and what type of reconstruction you decide on. Love the idea about the tatts!
All the best for your surgery.
Stay strong and keep smiling!
Ann-Marie x
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Hi Kim
I'm fairly new to this group too and have found it to be a great resource for info as well as support from these lovely ladies.
You sound like a strong woman with a great attitude. It's great news that you probably wont need chemo or radiotherapy!
I have had mastectomy of the left breast and as I dress each morning and try not to look lopsided I often think that maybe I should have done both - but everything happened so quickly and it just didn't come up. I had a tissue expander and am currently going through chemo. Over the next few months I need to think about what type of reconstruction to have - more decisions! I'll be interested to hear how you go and what type of reconstruction you decide on. Love the idea about the tatts!
All the best for your surgery.
Stay strong and keep smiling!
Ann-Marie x
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Good on you for having such an awesome attitude to this. Lucky you had considered what you would do prior to your diagnosis given your family history - that must have made deciding a little easier. I too welcome you to the "club" and as said before - YOU are the priority so give it to yourself at the moment. Let yourself feel whatever comes your way. I wish you the best for your surgery and recovery.
Amanda
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Hi Merylee,
As far as I can understand I my reconstruction will be getting the expanders put in with my double mastectomy, then going to the specialist to get pumped up, and as my GP said i get to choose the new size of my breasts, so when i am happy with the size they will put in silicon. If you don't mind me asking did you get a double or single? How long were you off your feet after your op? Hope I am not off my feet for too long I know i will go stir crazy, got a bit upset as I have to give away my Eskimo Joe tickets to friends as somehow I don't think i will be up to a concert a week and a two days after surgery, I have my last letting my hair down moment tonight (well I shouldn't say letting my hair down cos I shaved my head about a month ago, before all this happened...... I did that to actually annoy my store manager and prove a point, I enjoy pushing the boundaries) I get to see Birds of Tokyo (I love my music, keeps me sane). I finished work this morning @ 3.30am and will probably not be back for about 4 months providing all goes to plan (well that is what my specialist.....who is also my surgon thinks), It was hard leaving work this morning as this week we found out they are restructuring our management and by the time I go back my role (perishables manager) will be obsolete so I don't know what I will be when i go back, I know I will not be disadvantaged but it is still a bit scary. I am worried about everything else other than my surgery next week, somehow that seems to not phase me. Ironically yesturday afternoon I met the V merchandisers and our longlife manager suggested as a joke to them that they should be my sponsor, when they asked me how many I drank a day they actually looked horrified (i consume about 8 sugarfree cans a day, and yes i have read the part where it states 2 cans max per day, i have been doing that for 3 years now and it hasn't hurt me yet), now you can probably understand how it will be hard for me to give them up
I am on to my last packet of ciggies, will finish them more than likely saturday I go cold turkey.........crankyness and moodswings here i come! Have not been told how long it will take for my results to come thru after my mastectomy, i suppose it is a good question for me to ask the specalist before they knock me out. When do you finalize/finish your reconstructions?Take care
Kim
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Hi Kim,
I only had a single mastecomy, thats all that was offered to me. I still have lumps in my other breast that they will watch very carefully... My reconstruction is done via tissue expanders and then silicone implant... I had my mastecomy 4th April and reconstruction started at the same time was in hospital 3 nights. The first week I was very restless , napped alot. The drain was annoying as, i think that was the worst thing, I had it for 2 weeks.... I had a lumpectomy first before my mastecomy and i actually found that more painful that the mastecomy itself... so i was surprised that i wasnt in that much pain and that i could move around and do stuff....
Ask your doctor if u can walk and excercise after your op (everyone is different) I found walking helped me alot. walk with your arms by your side moving, its the best thing to get your movement back to normal asap. When i was on my walks I took a camera to take photos of what i saw outside, so then if there were any days I did not feel up to it i could look back on some scenery. i never had those days though, always managed to go for a walk even if it was a short 10min strole to the milkbar and back.
I went stir crazy being at home after about 3 weeks. My mum tried taking me out everyday to help me, but it sucked having to rely on her while my husband was at work.... Now I can drive again and not locked up lol... pain is every now and then but not on too much pain medication at the moment... stopped regular pain medication last week. Got the all clear from my doctor to head back to work this week, but similar story to you. I was a manager too and my area manager has been great and like dont worry about work, you'll still have a job to come back to. But I was up for a promotion when I got sick and now my store is closing to get newer and better and I dont know exactly what I'm going back to. I'm only gonna go back casual/part time at the moment until i feel all better. I struggle with fatigue and my brain just feels fluffy some days hehehehe... I'm getting blown up at the moment to the size i want and in about 3 months i'll go in for my last surgery to get the implant inserted. so I'm gonna need another month off then. So I'm not gonna rush back into management just yet. But I'm confident I have a management job to go back to I just dont know where yet, lol...
I love my music too... my fav's are Kid Rock, Disturbed and Taylor Swift. they leep me sane lol... Enjoy your night out, you deserve it. now is difenatly time to quit the V's and smokes as Your gonna be able to get away with being cranky and moody at the moment so live it up lol...
I think I answered all your questions hehehehe! Let me know if you have any more or if I forgot anything lol...
Merylee
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Keep that positive attitude going and I'm sure you will sail through it, Kim! I have had 2 mastectomies, 7 years apart and with the first one didn't need chemo or radiation. It was just getting over the op and then back to life and work.
The second one was a bit harder with the chemo involved but I still worked all the way through. I had a week off each time I had my chemo and then worked for two weeks, then a week off for chemo .....etc. When I had my mastectomies I took about 3-4 weeks off work but made sure that I did my exercises that the surgeon gave me asap. I got my arm movement back really quickly and have almost the same range of movement that I had before my ops.
I had both my nipples reconstructed and am really happy with the result. I still need to get the tattooing done on the second one but it's nice to have the nipples there.....somehow it makes you feel whole again LOL
Good luck with everything and don't forget to check in with us and let us know how you are going
Louise
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Keep that positive attitude going and I'm sure you will sail through it, Kim! I have had 2 mastectomies, 7 years apart and with the first one didn't need chemo or radiation. It was just getting over the op and then back to life and work.
The second one was a bit harder with the chemo involved but I still worked all the way through. I had a week off each time I had my chemo and then worked for two weeks, then a week off for chemo .....etc. When I had my mastectomies I took about 3-4 weeks off work but made sure that I did my exercises that the surgeon gave me asap. I got my arm movement back really quickly and have almost the same range of movement that I had before my ops.
I had both my nipples reconstructed and am really happy with the result. I still need to get the tattooing done on the second one but it's nice to have the nipples there.....somehow it makes you feel whole again LOL
Good luck with everything and don't forget to check in with us and let us know how you are going
Louise
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Keep that positive attitude going and I'm sure you will sail through it, Kim! I have had 2 mastectomies, 7 years apart and with the first one didn't need chemo or radiation. It was just getting over the op and then back to life and work.
The second one was a bit harder with the chemo involved but I still worked all the way through. I had a week off each time I had my chemo and then worked for two weeks, then a week off for chemo .....etc. When I had my mastectomies I took about 3-4 weeks off work but made sure that I did my exercises that the surgeon gave me asap. I got my arm movement back really quickly and have almost the same range of movement that I had before my ops.
I had both my nipples reconstructed and am really happy with the result. I still need to get the tattooing done on the second one but it's nice to have the nipples there.....somehow it makes you feel whole again LOL
Good luck with everything and don't forget to check in with us and let us know how you are going
Louise
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