First Post

Well, today is the day for you .... I hope that by now you are out of theatre and back into your "comfortable" hospital bed.  I have been thinking of you - been out all day and only just home so jumped on the comp to dash this note off to you.

Stay well and keep up the positive thoughts.  Come and chat to us when you are able...

Cheers ... Shirl xxx

Sorry, I have only just found this section of the site.  Your situation has brought back memories of how scared I was.  I was diagnosed in Sept 2006 and operated on in Oct 2006.  Initially it was thought that I had breast cancer in both breasts - so my breasts have lots of scars (only visible to close eyes)  My major op was on my left breast - lumpectomy and I had the wider axilliary clearance - no sentinal node option at the time. I then had radiotherapy and am on Tamoxifen.  I chose not to have chemo as I felt that the "add ons" over a ten year period did not weigh up enough for the sick period of chemo.  (this is now quite changed as there are drugs to counteract the sickness) I wondered how my breast would look at the end.  Who cares - it actually is fuller than the right one as I suffer from a bit of lympodema. I treat this with a monthly beautiful massage - what a sacrifice!!! What I'm trying to convey to you is that with family support and a very positive attitude you will come out as a different person.  From my point of view I have gained so many wonderful friendships; had such a lovely experience with treatment with such caring medical and ancillary staff; .  It just goes on and on - I say it is the Best Club I have Ever been in.  (Outsiders think I am nuts!!)  My biggest obstacle has been work - the people are still the same - it is me who is different.  With a positive attitude and the support of ladies who have experienced before you, you are in for the ride of your life!!!  My thoughts are with you today and for your ongoing treatment.  Please put your questions, concerns etc on this site as there is a wealth of "experience" to tap into.  Remember everyone is there for YOU.XLeonie

PS:  Any obstacles that come your way see them as a great opportunity to push even harder ahead.

Hello again Moira.  Your message is quite timely.  So thank you.  You also sound quite chirpy with your situation as it currently is.  No doubt you have done lots of hard emotional processing to get this far and sound so good.  The closer my surgery comes (Wed 1st Sep) I am feeling more and more a sense of impending loss over the shape and size of my breast.  As a lumpectomy-expert yourself, are you able to comment on this?  I am a bit fragile about this and am wearing my sexiest tops and bras until D-Day, feeling teary the whole time.  Cynthia

ok try again, my connection went after i typed my comments...

I had a lumpectomy, 10 lymph nodes removed, chemo, radiotherapy, I finished all that a 18 months agao, and am also on Arimidex hormone for 5 years.  I also lost my hair with chemo, but had a great time with hats and scarfs.  And the good thing was it came in black and Curly (the only curls i ever had were the bad perms in the 70's). I straighten it sometimes now, but its great to have the option to leave it or straighen it.  BONUS i still havent had to colours it. My husband was also a GREAT support to me, and i can say we appreciate each other more every day. What day is your op scheduled for Cynthia? We will be thinking of you.....

ok try again, my connection went after i typed my comments...

I had a lumpectomy, 10 lymph nodes removed, chemo, radiotherapy, I finished all that a 18 months agao, and am also on Arimidex hormone for 5 years.  I also lost my hair with chemo, but had a great time with hats and scarfs.  And the good thing was it came in black and Curly (the only curls i ever had were the bad perms in the 70's). I straighten it sometimes now, but its great to have the option to leave it or straighen it.  BONUS i still havent had to colours it. My husband was also a GREAT support to me, and i can say we appreciate each other more every day. What day is your op scheduled for Cynthia? We will be thinking of you.....

Hi Cynthia

I lost all my hair during chemo, but there are so many great wigs available, so that part was good.  My hair came back better than before initially and is at shoulder length now.  I had hair extensions in for a while, just to make me feel like a girl again.

My cancer was fed by estrigen, so I am on hormone therapy for the next 2 years or so.  (5 years in total) and that has effected my sexiness etc, but where there is a will there is way.

I have days that I hate what cancer has done, but there are other times that I can turn it all around and look at the glass as being half full.

No hair sux, but on the bright side there are some really great wigs.  I have been induced into menopause since 37 years old, but I have not had too many bad side effects.  My skin is a little more wrinklier than it should be and my hair is thinning a little, but from all accounts it will thicken when I go off arimidex, again, if I use a bit of product I am the only one that knows that it is not as thick as it was.

My reconstructed breasts are not as soft as the real ones, but in clothes it gives me the confidence that I need.

There are lots of negatives and I am sure you have read of the crappy negatives, but there are also a lot of good things to come out of it (which sounds like a real cliche).  I always worried about stuff that now I wouldn't waste my time on now.  Despite losing my breasts my confidence is better than ever.  My husband and I are closer than I ever thought possible.  I read a saying recently that said (and I hope I don't lose the point in translation) that how can you know what the highs in life are like if you dont have the lows.  They said it better than that, but you get the idea. 

There are no questions that you cannot ask here.  Happy to talk.  It must be such a scary time for you waiting for the surgery.  Do you know your treatment plan yet?

Tanya

Hi Cynthia

I lost all my hair during chemo, but there are so many great wigs available, so that part was good.  My hair came back better than before initially and is at shoulder length now.  I had hair extensions in for a while, just to make me feel like a girl again.

My cancer was fed by estrigen, so I am on hormone therapy for the next 2 years or so.  (5 years in total) and that has effected my sexiness etc, but where there is a will there is way.

I have days that I hate what cancer has done, but there are other times that I can turn it all around and look at the glass as being half full.

No hair sux, but on the bright side there are some really great wigs.  I have been induced into menopause since 37 years old, but I have not had too many bad side effects.  My skin is a little more wrinklier than it should be and my hair is thinning a little, but from all accounts it will thicken when I go off arimidex, again, if I use a bit of product I am the only one that knows that it is not as thick as it was.

My reconstructed breasts are not as soft as the real ones, but in clothes it gives me the confidence that I need.

There are lots of negatives and I am sure you have read of the crappy negatives, but there are also a lot of good things to come out of it (which sounds like a real cliche).  I always worried about stuff that now I wouldn't waste my time on now.  Despite losing my breasts my confidence is better than ever.  My husband and I are closer than I ever thought possible.  I read a saying recently that said (and I hope I don't lose the point in translation) that how can you know what the highs in life are like if you dont have the lows.  They said it better than that, but you get the idea. 

There are no questions that you cannot ask here.  Happy to talk.  It must be such a scary time for you waiting for the surgery.  Do you know your treatment plan yet?

Tanya

I was diagnosed in 2007 at 36 and had a Left mastecomy (because of the size 27mm) and ancillary clearance at the same time.  I had a sentinel node removed and it looked a bit suss, so they opted to take 16 nodes (ancillary clearance).  I only had one node affected but they removed the lot anyway.

Earlier this year I had my other breast removed and reconstruction on both.  I have not had a reoccurance just had this done for peace of mind and lets face it a new set of perkie ones .

5mm is small, so great that it showed up and great that you got it early and hopefully you will not need any further treatment.

Feel free to ask away any questions that you may have.

Tanya

Hi Tanya, thanks for your welcoming message and the compliment re my profile pic!  Yeah my surgery is a lumpectomy with a sentinel node removal.  (Not sure what an ancillary clearance is - can you fill me in?)  It sounds like you've had two experiences if you've had recovery from an ancillary thingy as well as a mastectomy.  Did it come back?  After how long?  My breast tissue is very dense and so I have had regular ultrascans yearly for the last few years.  The lump showed up on one of those.  It is very small by the initial pathology report - 5mm, but is invasive.  When were you first diagnosed? 

Cynthia

Hi Tanya, thanks for your welcoming message and the compliment re my profile pic!  Yeah my surgery is a lumpectomy with a sentinel node removal.  (Not sure what an ancillary clearance is - can you fill me in?)  It sounds like you've had two experiences if you've had recovery from an ancillary thingy as well as a mastectomy.  Did it come back?  After how long?  My breast tissue is very dense and so I have had regular ultrascans yearly for the last few years.  The lump showed up on one of those.  It is very small by the initial pathology report - 5mm, but is invasive.  When were you first diagnosed? 

Cynthia