Double mastectomy - words I never thought I would hear or say.....

HI,

My name is Sally and I have been recently looking around this site and finally feel ready to post...

Next Friday 21st April I am booked in for a double mastectomy and immediate reconstruction, plus sentinel node biopsy following my DCIS diagnosis on 31st march.  I am absolutely terrified of the post op pain and recovery, let alone what the next lot of pathology results will throw our way.

I think I am still in shock......3 short weeks ago my very pedestrian life with my hubby and 3 children was rolling along quite nicely.  I had not a care in the world when a went for my first ever mammogram following my 40th birthday in Jan.  I was just being proactive in managing my health after a crappy 18 months with chronic back pain from Degenerative Disc Disease and arthritis. I had been feeling really run down and tired for months - and every time blood tests were done, different results came back but nothing stood out to indicate cancer (just lots of variations in blood counts, high calcium, low vit D, changed shape or red blood cells).  I have Coeliac disease too, so my GP and I were thinking that this run down feeling was associated with having an autoimmune disease......

 Getting the call back from Breastscreen 2 weeks later was concerning, but still I thought all would be ok - they were just being thorough right??  3 pesky spots showed up but still I was confident that nothing was nasty.....a biopsy was done and I went on merry way.  That was a Monday and when I saw my Gp on the Friday for results I knew immediately things were not good before she even said a word (gosh that must be such an awful job to have to tell someone they have cancer!!) 

I remember the feeling of the air being sucked out of my lungs at hearing the word cancer.....and then I went back to work because I suddenly felt the need to get time sheets sent off to payroll......shock does funny things to people!!!

since  then it has been a whirlwind of appts and more tests......further biopsies revealed multifocal BC.......my amazing surgeon told me she could not save the breast and strongly urged me to consider removing the right breast to reduce future risk given that 2 out of my 3 lumps are not behaving like my other "garden variety lump".  So as a mum of 3 I decided to go with the double mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with implants.

Apart from the fear, I am doing my upmost to stay positive and keep a normal routine and have continued.

reading such similar stories has been such a help over the last week or so  - so many inspirational women on this site!!! 

Thanks for listening x

Sally