Operation Fears

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Cathy D
Cathy D Member Posts: 6
edited April 2012 in Newly diagnosed

Hi, I am new to this site,I was diagonoised in Feb this year with Inflammatory breast cancer. Big shock, so lucky to have lots of support although sometimes I still feel so alone in this. I have had three rounds of chemo. Am booked in to have mascetomy 1st May. Starting to freak pout a little as the time gets closer. Going in with 2 boobs waking up with 1. Guess that's sounds a little vain but a bit attached to them. Just wondering how some of you ladies felt, dealt with this? Am feeling pretty positive most of the time.

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  • Cathy D
    Cathy D Member Posts: 6
    edited March 2015
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    Thanks Shaz, That makes me feel a bit better. I do want reconstructon and inquired about having it with op but because I still have to have 3 more rounds of chemo then 6 weeks of radium and 12 months of herceptin, surgeon said he would rather I waited till I was feeling 100% again. So I am hoping to have it sometime next year. Even though I am 50 I would like to feel whole again especially since I am single. Glad to hear the surgery is not so bad. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Tania67
    Tania67 Member Posts: 112
    edited March 2015
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    Hi Cathy,

    We are all attached to our boobies and you can feel however you like about what you are about to go through. Its your journey and your emotions and they are definately not vain. I allowed myself time to grieve the loss. I spent an entire weekend by myself and just cried. That helped me a lot.

    I have decided to have my left breast removed now as my right breast was completely littered with pre cancer cells. It took my a while to come to that decision but I think it is the right one for me. I see my surgeon next week. I am sure they will do the reconstruction at the same time so I will go in with one boob and come out with 2 new ones!!!

    Good luck on Tuesday. I'll be thinking of you

    Tania

     

     

     

  • Tania67
    Tania67 Member Posts: 112
    edited March 2015
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    Hi Cathy,

    We are all attached to our boobies and you can feel however you like about what you are about to go through. Its your journey and your emotions and they are definately not vain. I allowed myself time to grieve the loss. I spent an entire weekend by myself and just cried. That helped me a lot.

    I have decided to have my left breast removed now as my right breast was completely littered with pre cancer cells. It took my a while to come to that decision but I think it is the right one for me. I see my surgeon next week. I am sure they will do the reconstruction at the same time so I will go in with one boob and come out with 2 new ones!!!

    Good luck on Tuesday. I'll be thinking of you

    Tania

     

     

     

  • Tania67
    Tania67 Member Posts: 112
    edited March 2015
    Options

    Hi Cathy,

    We are all attached to our boobies and you can feel however you like about what you are about to go through. Its your journey and your emotions and they are definately not vain. I allowed myself time to grieve the loss. I spent an entire weekend by myself and just cried. That helped me a lot.

    I have decided to have my left breast removed now as my right breast was completely littered with pre cancer cells. It took my a while to come to that decision but I think it is the right one for me. I see my surgeon next week. I am sure they will do the reconstruction at the same time so I will go in with one boob and come out with 2 new ones!!!

    Good luck on Tuesday. I'll be thinking of you

    Tania

     

     

     

  • Shazinoz
    Shazinoz Member Posts: 307
    edited March 2015
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    I am having my other breast off when I finish chemo (another 4 cycles to go (and then Radiotherapy if I need it) and I also have 12 months of Herceptin as well).

    The reconstruction is a bit more painful than the mastectomy but I found it worth while (I am going by how the difference was between my recovery and the lady in the next bed who just had the mastectomy).

    You have every right to have/ want a reconstuction, it is YOUR body and YOUR choice.

  • Shazinoz
    Shazinoz Member Posts: 307
    edited March 2015
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    I have been lucky with chemo I think.

    Not much nausea at all, this time I got a drug called aloxi through my port before my chemo which is an anti nausea med which lasts for 4 days, that helped, and I have tablets and injections for nausea if I need them.

    Fatigue has been my biggest side effect (knocked my on my but this cycle - have spent nearly all of  the last 5 days in bed, but went grocery shopping today (not for long but got the essentials), and managed a shower  to get dressed too), and also lack of appetite, no interest in food (although I can force myself to eat most of the time), a sore tongue and stomach cramps and some joint/muscle pains. nothing too bad really, all of this I have been able to deal with and keep on trucking with (sure I am resting more, and not able to do a lot on some days (or anythign at all on some days, but it could have been a LOT LOT worse - so I am happy and grateful for the side effects I have had).

  • Tania67
    Tania67 Member Posts: 112
    edited March 2015
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    Shaz and all the pink ladies reading.

    On line grocery shopping. I started doing this after I realised how much it was taking out of my mum (she is nearly 70). Coles or Woolworths. I couldn't be happier, they bring it right into your kitchen. All you need it the energy to put it all away.

    xx

  • Tania67
    Tania67 Member Posts: 112
    edited March 2015
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    Shaz and all the pink ladies reading.

    On line grocery shopping. I started doing this after I realised how much it was taking out of my mum (she is nearly 70). Coles or Woolworths. I couldn't be happier, they bring it right into your kitchen. All you need it the energy to put it all away.

    xx

  • helena
    helena Member Posts: 29
    edited March 2015
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    Hi

    Shaz is spot on. It is a big surgery and it takes a while to get full movement back but the pain is really not an issue.  I am 50 (well four months or so) and also didn't fancy having no boobs. I had a double mastectomy and immediate reconstruction and the results are great.  You have more treatement to get through like to doc said and there is no great rush is there.  Take time to recover and let all your lovely friends drive you around and take you shopping etc.

    xxx Helen

     

  • Shazinoz
    Shazinoz Member Posts: 307
    edited March 2015
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    You should add this (And anything else you can think of) to the post, I started called

    What has helped you through your journey?

    As this could help lots of us, as we go through our journey