My Journey so far

I had an immediate reconstruction at the time of my mastectomy, using a silicine implant.

I am having the other breast off, when chemo is finished, as like you I am at high risk of it returning (I have a VERY strong family history and am also waiting for genetic testing to see if I have the breast cancer genes).

I decided the day Iwas told I had breast cancer (at 40 yrs old), that I didn't want them, if my breast were trying to kill me, I simply didn't want them. I didn't need them and wanted them gone. My surgeon agreed to my plan, with a slight change, in that we did the cancer breast and then the other one at a later date, which is what we did, I had my mastectomy (nipple sparign and partial skin sparing) and reconstruction on the 3rd Feb and started chemo on 2nd April, I have 6 cycles of Chemo and 18 of herceptin, they are still not sure if I am having radio, becasue for me with my medical history and family history they think the risks are going to outweigh the benefits, but I see the radiation oncologist again in 5 months after I finish chemo to make the final decision.

ALthough I don't have kids, I did have to tell my 2 little nieces (4 and 6) who I see regularly about the cancer - we told them that I had germs in my booby and the doctors were going to get rid of them for me, and now we have told them that the Dr's are giving me special medicine to kill of any germies that might be left (I will be emailing them photos of my very short hair (at present my hair is about 8mm long,  and falling out fast), and then of me bald so that when they come to visit they are prepared to see their Aunty Sharon bald, so that they don't get scared) we have told them (their Mum and I by phone and email that the very special medicine the Dr's are giving me, will make all my hair fall out for a whil ,but it will grow back (we thought we had better tell them it was veryspecial medicine so that they didn't think all medicine made your hair fall out :-) )

Yes your surgeon wasn't kidding about the surgery is the easiest part, but then I haven't had the side effects that yo have (in fact I had very little side effects from the chemo - sure some nausea, a lot fo fatigue, and a sore tongue and other minor things like mucles pain and the like).

Good luck with your post chemo recovery and with making your decision (remember that the 2nd amstectomy willbe easier becasue you wont need chemo or anything because you are having it as a preventative, and don't have cancer in the breast).