Forum Discussion

luckyme's avatar
luckyme
Member
4 years ago

Third time lucky?

Hi everyone, I have just had my breast cancer come back in the same breast for the third time.  I discovered the lump myself, after trying to decide if it was actually there or not, but eventually decided it needed to be confirmed. However there has been a 30 year gap between the first and second recurrence, and a 9 year gap between the second one and this diagnosis. Each time, a different type of cancer. I had a lumpectomy and radiation the first time, and a lumpectomy and four years of tamoxifen the second time.Thankfully no spread anywhere else this time, but my dilemma was, what to do? After a lot of online reading, and discussions with my oncologist, I have decided to have the right breast removed, in about 2 weeks time.You'd think it would get easier, having been through this before, but in some ways it does, in other ways it doesn't. I'm absolutely scared to death of the surgery and have been trying to be sensible about updating my will, and finishing my advanced care directive, but I don't know whether I can. I do have a very supportive family which helps, but sometimes the fear overwhelms me.
local-recurrence
  • Zoffiel's avatar
    Zoffiel
    Member
    4 years ago
    Don't be scared about the surgery. The hardest thing is waling into the hospital, getting on the trolley and answering the questions. Actually committing to the procedure is much tougher that recovering from it. Once your had space moves to viewing a toxic fat lump that is polluting your life as totally disposable, things move into perspective. MXX
  • luckyme's avatar
    luckyme
    Member
    4 years ago
    Thanks, I'm only having the mastectomy, no reconstruction, seems a bit pointless as I am 70 and quite used to wearing prostheses so comfortable with that.! 
  • Afraser's avatar
    Afraser
    Member
    4 years ago
    @luckyme

    Commiserations! Three times is three too many. But no-one can say that you haven’t given your right breast every chance! I had my left one removed after the first (and I hope only) incursion - I didn’t have much choice, the tumour was too big for a lumpectomy. But if your experience is anything like mine, the surgery was remarkably pain free. I had an axillary clearance to remove a lot of lymph nodes, but my arm mobility was back to normal rapidly and I went back to work after a week. Surgery sounds awful, but I found it relatively easy. If you are having immediate reconstruction, things are a bit more complicated and take longer for you to recover from, but the mastectomy itself is not to be feared. Best wishes for your speedy recovery and no fourth time!