Need some positive stories

Hi Lara, I was diagnosed at 41 in June 2012 with multi focal stage 2 grade 2 IDC lymph nodes clear. I have had 2 lumpectomies that did not remove all evidence of disease so after chemo finished had a bilateral mast and skin sparing free tram flap reconstruction. I am 12 weeks post that last surgey.

The waiting is the hardest part I found. Waiting for results is torture. But whatever the news, knowing is better than not knowing and means you can move forward with whatever you need to do.

So now I am 12 months on and completing treatment in December (as I was her 2 Positive thus on herceptin). I am returning to work after the holidays. I feel strong and reparied, a;most like before this whole cancer episode. I still have revision surgery and nipples and plan to be complete by the end of this year.

I hope you get clear nodes, but until they get in there they will not really know staging and grade anyway. I should also say that having an MRI was my turning point and am very glad i had one as it resulted in a better diagnosis of DCIS and subsequent need for the mastectomy. Otherwise we would not have known what was there.

Hard as it is its all doable. i found i was not worried about some things like i thought i would be; eg loss of hair and no nipples. But somehow, I think due to my great kids, I just soldiered on and we had plenty of laughs.

Take care and ask heaps of questions and always get your pathology reports to do your own research so you know whats going on. XXX Louie