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Janey235's avatar
Janey235
Member
12 years ago

Hello everyone.

Last Friday I had my second last Docetaxel chemo and I'm just beginning to feel the bone pain again today. It sucks but I'm also feeling quite excited about the prospect of only one more chemo to go. Yay! My hands are really affected though so I'm having trouble typing or doing much else. After chemo is finished I will be booked in to have a mastectomy and reconstruction and I am a bit anxious about that. I have been thinking about whether I should opt for a double mastectomy because if I have DCIS in the left breast whats to say it isn't in the right one, my surgeon told me that if I think I will be overly worried about BC developing in the right breast we would be happy to talk about a double. But he said that my chances are only slightly increased above the normal population and that should give me peace of mind. I don't know whether that will but I don't want to put any more pressure on my body. I have enough with the left breast. Really all I won't is to get my life back and get on with it.
chemotherapy
dcis
mastectomy
Reconstruction

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  • Janey235's avatar
    Janey235
    Member
    12 years ago
    My dear Louise, How wonderful to 'see' your photo story. It has really given me hope that I can look almost normal again. It's really a sense of relief. I am still struggling with whether to make the decision and have both breasts off but I'm certain that there is a light at the end of this very long tunnel after seeing your photo journey. By the looks of it, your family are similar to mine. I have a wonderful husband and a 25 year old daughter and a nearly 23 year old son. I'm 54 years old but I didn't feel that age (I've been told I looked younger) before this all happened. Now I feel like I'm twice that age, put on lots of weight and what little wisps of hair I have left on my head are white! I know this will change my future but you have made it easier to bear. Thank you again for sharing a very intimate part of yourself. With lots of love. Janey xxx
  • Janey235's avatar
    Janey235
    Member
    12 years ago
    Glad to know that things do get back to 'normal' eventually. These past 6 months have been such a roller coaster ride for me (as for all of us I guess on our own journeys) I am still in denial in think. Went through another very bad day with Docetaxel yesterday and the sensation in my fingers is extremely uncomfortable. I am typing with difficulty. I'm scared that this will go on after chemo and my job might in jeopardy. There is already an admin review going on at the uni where I work. All these fears at the moment. I guess I'm emotional and feeling sorry for myself. I'll pick up. Love to you xxx
  • Janey235's avatar
    Janey235
    Member
    12 years ago
    Thanks so so much for your info Louie. I would very much appreciate you emailing your photo story. I would like to know from women who have actually gone through I similar thing as me. My email is Jane.rowe@latrobe.edu.au Thanks again for responding. Love Jane xxx
  • LouiseTurner's avatar
    LouiseTurner
    Member
    12 years ago

    I have found that if i hit the save button more than once (impatient or thinking it hasnt worked), the posts come out multiple times. It takes a while to work it all out.

    I went in for a DIEP but they were unable to take the blood supply without a little muscle, so technically I have had a free tram. It was a very small amount of muscle and i dont feel it has compromised my abdominal region at all....yet. I was never big in the exercise department, but did alot of manual work like gardening and normal stuff around the house. I pretty much have found I can do anything i used to do before.

    My understanding is we are all vary a bit on the inside so they do what they can.

    The recovery was horrendous, very emotional and physically debilating. The main difficulty was the abdominal area which I think is no surprise as you need this core area for almost all your movements. But pain relief meant it was not very painful, just very tight and I did have a sore lower back from being stooped over.

    But I managed like eveyone else who has had this type of reconstruction. The first 4 weeks are the hardest, then for me, when I felt better physically and could stand up straight I then could take stock of how I looked and had a bit of an emotonal crash. I cried alot in hospital I recall. But a lovely nurse said that it is a physiological response from our bodies and is common after a mastectomy.

    I am feeling great now and do not have a single regret (but i didnt always feel like that). I did lots of research before I settled on this procedure and thought for long term gain I could push through the recovery and I have. I do have revision surgery (October) which is common with this procedure, to tweak the messy bits and the shape. They concentrate on moving the tissue successfully first then can fix anything cosmetic later. Then they can do nipples after that which I believe is a short procedure.

    I have made a photo story if you'd like to see it. Just private message your email address. It could be a little confronting but its real.

    XXXLouie

  • Janey235's avatar
    Janey235
    Member
    12 years ago

    I don't know how I managed to post the same item twice?  Anyway I also worked out that I can look at other profiles by clicking on the photo.  So I did see your history Louise and that you had a DIEP or Free tram.  Anyway, I'd be interested to hear how your recovery was.  Thanks

  • Janey235's avatar
    Janey235
    Member
    12 years ago
    Yes I have some thinking to do. What sort of reconstruction did you have? My breast surgeon has indicated that I will have a DIEP flap but I haven't seen the plastic surgeon yet as she is away at present. I like the sound of natural feeling breasts and I don't think I would like implants. How was the recovery of having both breasts done at the same time? I am so confused as to what to do....
  • Janey235's avatar
    Janey235
    Member
    12 years ago
    Yes I have some thinking to do. What sort of reconstruction did you have? My breast surgeon has indicated that I will have a DIEP flap but I haven't seen the plastic surgeon yet as she is away at present. I like the sound of natural feeling breasts and I don't think I would like implants. How was the recovery of having both breasts done at the same time? I am so confused as to what to do....
  • LouiseTurner's avatar
    LouiseTurner
    Member
    12 years ago

    I hear you....cancer in one breast....why wouldnt it appear in the other one at some stage. I was in this very position and decided to go for both off for a couple of reasons; firstly the logic and stats just did not make sense to me and i just did not believe it would not appear in the other breast; i did not want the chance of going through chemo again and my best chance to stop breast cancer recuring or a new primary was to remove both; going through chemo again with no leave available from work would be have a massive financial impact on my family; I knew i wanted reconstruction and wanted both breasts the same.

    I am very happy with my decision and i dont worry about breast cancer anymore and have lovely natural feeling breasts. I understand that some breast tissue is always left behind even with mastectomy, but I have done everything i can to eradicate it so i have peace of mind.

    I also feel that when the revision surgery is over and the herceptin is finished I will not look back.

    good luck with your decision and your recovery from chemo

    XXXLouie