Forum Discussion
Good-bye boob photos - your ideas?
I've spent a month wrestling with the information about DCIS, and my decisions about what to do next.
Starting with a flyer for the BCNA, given to me by BreastScreen NSW, that seemed to indicate that DCIS is not straight-up, bald-faced cancer.
I spent the first 2 weeks after diagnosis trying to get my head around concepts and terminology. Is it life-threatening? No. Does it mean you're more likely to get invasive cancer at some point? Yes. Can you sit on it, and see what happens? Yes, if you like playing Russian roulette.
The next 2 weeks making appointments with specialists...
Starting with a flyer for the BCNA, given to me by BreastScreen NSW, that seemed to indicate that DCIS is not straight-up, bald-faced cancer.
I spent the first 2 weeks after diagnosis trying to get my head around concepts and terminology. Is it life-threatening? No. Does it mean you're more likely to get invasive cancer at some point? Yes. Can you sit on it, and see what happens? Yes, if you like playing Russian roulette.
The next 2 weeks making appointments with specialists...
A breast surgeon: get it out.
A plastic surgeon: we have marvellous folding tables and can recreate your boob from other bits of your body. For my A-B cup delights? No thanks, way too much hassle.
A doctor who has had a bilateral mastectomy: you don't want to deal with radiotherapy and chemo, get it out.
My doctor friend who uses complementary therapy: it's about survival, and you're young with a lot of stressors in your life, get it out.
A breast surgeon and top-level researcher: we can't force you to do anything but getting it out is the best idea.
And so the expert consensus, even though I feel fine, I am potentially fine, and I may remain potentially fine, is that I should cut out my very small boob - including the 6.1cm of low-grade DCIS - and get on with it.
So that is what I've lined up for later this month, even though a vain and fatalistic version of myself is writhing around inside me, clammering for attention so I can hear it scream STOP.
On the pro-mastectomy side:
And so the expert consensus, even though I feel fine, I am potentially fine, and I may remain potentially fine, is that I should cut out my very small boob - including the 6.1cm of low-grade DCIS - and get on with it.
So that is what I've lined up for later this month, even though a vain and fatalistic version of myself is writhing around inside me, clammering for attention so I can hear it scream STOP.
On the pro-mastectomy side:
- I'm small-breasted so this is not such a big deal in terms of lop-sidedness
- Survival, maybe
- I can take up archery with fewer complications
- Maybe it's time to go #braless4ever
On the con side:
- Survival, maybe
- I can take up archery with fewer complications
- Maybe it's time to go #braless4ever
On the con side:
- I'm cutting out a boob
- Scars, pain and zombie-time
- Dressing myself might be a bit of a nuisance
So you see, there are more pros.
Anyway, as part of saying goodbye to my booby, I've planned a pre-surgery photoshoot. Candid, B&W, naturalistic in my home. Does anyone have any ideas for poses, props and backgrounds that would work? Or good places to look for inspiration?
I've tried Google-Imaging but I don't like to spend too much of my life scrolling through porn sites... which is what happens when you search terms like topless, semi-nude, female body art. B) :s
Thanks in advance!
- Scars, pain and zombie-time
- Dressing myself might be a bit of a nuisance
So you see, there are more pros.
Anyway, as part of saying goodbye to my booby, I've planned a pre-surgery photoshoot. Candid, B&W, naturalistic in my home. Does anyone have any ideas for poses, props and backgrounds that would work? Or good places to look for inspiration?
I've tried Google-Imaging but I don't like to spend too much of my life scrolling through porn sites... which is what happens when you search terms like topless, semi-nude, female body art. B) :s
Thanks in advance!
21 Replies
- Dr Liz O’Riordan.
- Hi @NadiaC - I'm glad that you found the DCIS, although I'm sorry you're now part of this bloody club that nobody wanted to join in the first place.
It turns out that the lump that took me to the Breastscreen NSW van in the first place wasn't even an issue.
But that lump, combined with knowledge of my family's susceptibility (even though genetics testing revealed nothing), meant that I had surgery which removed what was in the end 6.5 cm of DCIS plus a bonus, previously unnoticed 0.5 cm of metastatic cancer. So it's good you're doing something about it.
Sorry about the delay in replying! I was waiting for photos to be published in the Choosing Reconstruction group so that you could see some examples of my shoot, plus recovery. You can see them on my thread "Going flat: single, nipple-sparing mastectomy without reconstruction".
I had my photo shoot in June, just before my surgery.
I got recommendations for photographers from a painter-friend. I wasn't comfortable approaching an unknown commercial photographer with my deeply personal request. I was lucky my mate was able to suggest 3 different people. Her top recommendation was for a sensitive male photographer, but I was immediately drawn to her description of "an earthy female friend who trained in photography but now works in childcare".
Ange arrived with her cousin in tow. They took some candid shots of me and my family, then we chased my kids and partner (now -ex!) out of the house. They took a couple of me draped with some light chiffon fabric on my bed. She took of couple of me sitting in a frangipani tree with the chiffon shawl, but they didn't quite work out... I'm posted some of the better ones on the forum for your inspiration. The experience of being photographed semi-nude was awkward, exhilarating, sad and grounding. I'm glad I did it.
And there's a final photo from last week to show you (and anyone else who's in the same boat) how I look 6 months down the track after a nipple-saving single mastectomy without reconstruction.
Another thing I did was splurge on a makeup lesson at MECCA - where the cost of the lesson is redeemable for products of the same value! I've never been the most feminine girl, what I know about cosmetics can fit on a post-it note (like, a miniature flag-sized one). So I decided that since I was losing a dimension of my womanhood, I would super-charge my knowledge of girly-girl aesthetics. I'm glad I did that too.
All the best guys. I'm here for any questions you have... Hugs. - @Friedeggs sorry I didn't see the notification earlier but your photos look great.
I ended up doing a nude photoshoot with a male black and white specialist photographer and I loved them! So so happy.
Also did some body casting with friends which was hilarious and loved the ended result. I think both experiences were quite cathartic and helped me emotionally adjust to the idea of losing my breast.
I'm now 10 days post op and feeling pretty good physically and emotionally, drains came out at day 7 which was great too. - That's amazing @NadiaC!! I hope there were a few wines & nibbles thrown into the mix whilst you were doing the moulding! ;)
Take care & all the best in your recovery xx - @arpie there was some wine and pasta beforehand 🙂. Was too messy for wine during the puttying 😆
- Great idea 👌🏻👌🏻
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- How are you going @Friedeggs?? I hope all is good.
Re the photos - Charolotte Tottman (the Psychologist who had BC) also had photos taken professionally & is very happy with them. Hers were taken after surgery, from memory.... - You're right! Here's an Instagram link to the photo in SA Weekend.
- Hiya!! I took a photo myself of me (with my hair starting to grow back) and my boobs. But I also had my oldest friend help me make a cast of my boobs. Am going to dress it up with some lace and ask a friend to paint it for me. I have a picture of a tatt I want to do after my reconstruction. Glad I did these!!
