To remove or not to remove..... that is the question

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  • June1952
    June1952 Member Posts: 1,935 ✭
    @Gavroche - "Perhaps the breast surgeon was a tad offended even" - yep, so was mine when I suggested it.  He said it was not required.  A regret as I soon found that he was no 'seamstress' having not pulled the skin straight so it all pulls to one side and has a large mini breast under.  If Miss Leftie goes bad he won't be getting the work - and I will request some sort of 'fix' for his sewing.   :) 
  • Gavroche
    Gavroche Member Posts: 31 ✭
    June1952

    - I'm so sorry to hear that. My breast surgeon, whom I really like, was indeed taken aback - as though I didn't have faith in his skills. But I simply said "For me this is piece of mind" and then he was cool. Both of them visited me in hospital - this was mid-April and there was no elective surgery then because of Covid. So I suspect they were a little bored. They admired their handiwork and sometimes stayed up to an hour for a chat! Lol. They both said that they learned from each other during the surgery.
    I certainly hope your left breast remains cancer free. Perhaps you can consider revision surgery for the right side that you df
  • June1952
    June1952 Member Posts: 1,935 ✭
    Hi @Gavroche - Thank you and yes, that is the plan and has been since it was done.  As per the 'normal' I went back to him 6 mthly for 3 years then 12 mthly.  Every visit he said he'd done a good job (yes, he did get rid of the cancer) and always said "is it flat when you are laying down with your arm above your head ?"  I felt like responding with "you should sit the patient up before closing to make sure you have the skin straight - a seamstress makes sure she has the weave matching"  but I was always too timid.  Not now !  Hee Hee.
  • Abbydog
    Abbydog Member Posts: 510 ✭
    It's a hard decision. Life would be easier without the other one. I had thought of it.
    I don't like wearing a bra, especially with the prosthesis.
    But I am a larger lady, size 18. I would be bothered by my larger belly, if I was flat.
    If I were flatter abdominally, I would choose both off.
    For now I'm planning on a reconstruction, perhaps next year.


  • catey
    catey Member Posts: 6 ✭
    Hi all I'm new to this. I had a cancer diagnosis in May and surgery then - and then margin surgery.  I was told after margin surgery that I'd need a masectomy and I'd have a reconstruction but told that I could talk about that post chemo. My chemo started 3 weeks after margin surgery. I finished chemo on October 1.  I met with the plastic surgeon that same week. At all stages in this process  the cancer surgeon indicated I'd have a reconstruction. I never questioned. And just couldn't read about all aspects of surgery and its impact - so I didn't think about it and certainly didn't know what was involved - I was given access to websites etc but I just didn't want to think about it.  And now I'm less than 2 weeks away from the masectomy and reconstruction and I don't know if I want that, or can cope or even think of reconstruction. I'm 60 and not super fit and really knocked out by chemo.  But I'm uncertain of my decision.  I know my cancer surgeon wants to remove the breast because of my cancer.  So that surgery needs to happen. But I don't know if I want to have a reconstruction.  I have very large breasts and worry how I'll cope with a masectomy and the remaining breast given my size.  

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