Forum Discussion
Newbie with Questions about Surfing/Water
Morning, I am newly diagnosed on Tuesday , saw the Surgeon on Thursday now waiting for the date of the op for my mastectomy.
After processing this all weekend, just wondering if anyone can help with these questions.
I am a keen SUP and surfer, I fear I will be unbalanced. Is this a thing? I fear having more operations and not being bale to get out on the water, I fear the reaction of chemo on my body. My surgeon only suggested removing the breast with the lumps in it, I also have suspect lymph nodes and he said he will know more once the operation is underway. He said I can remove the other which is also an option, as my other fear is getting in that side as well.
I am wondering if anyone can share there experience of surfing / supping and have you used a prosthesis, do you feel unbalanced if you don't? Did you get a reconstruction because of this?
Being out in the water has been my sanity in the last three years as I have been going through a separation and now a divorce, so continuing being on the water is high up there for my mental health.
Thanks for taking the time to read and reply
After processing this all weekend, just wondering if anyone can help with these questions.
I am a keen SUP and surfer, I fear I will be unbalanced. Is this a thing? I fear having more operations and not being bale to get out on the water, I fear the reaction of chemo on my body. My surgeon only suggested removing the breast with the lumps in it, I also have suspect lymph nodes and he said he will know more once the operation is underway. He said I can remove the other which is also an option, as my other fear is getting in that side as well.
I am wondering if anyone can share there experience of surfing / supping and have you used a prosthesis, do you feel unbalanced if you don't? Did you get a reconstruction because of this?
Being out in the water has been my sanity in the last three years as I have been going through a separation and now a divorce, so continuing being on the water is high up there for my mental health.
Thanks for taking the time to read and reply
22 Replies
- Hi Shell surfing ....all the best for treatments
Your mind is often ahead of your body when you want to get back to the surf be gentle and take it easy
I have had single mastectomy am 38 D so foundthat i had to wear a swim sport prothesIs i found i only needed to use when in public and definitely when body boarding ....the foob is filled with beads . Sometimes lymphodema can effect the recovery of arm movement and chemo or rads will delay return to more active boarding.
Cheers Bright - It's so good when you can get back in the water! Chemo isn't fun but it is manageable.
- Hi .@Sister, thank you for thinking of me, yes I have had the operation, the drains were the worst part. I think my surgeon was great, as I have amazing movement in my arms from the lymph node removal, I was expecting not to be able to lift my arms at all. I am now waiting for healing of op and to start my chemo.
The pathology and PET Scans weren't good, it has metastasized further into my lymph nodes and liver and is triple negative, so now I am on a journey of living every day the most amazing way I know how (can't wait for two more weeks and I can start surfing again-yippee), waiting for the Chemo to start (should be beginning of June) and pray/hope that this is all been a bad dream lol
Hope all is well with you - Hi @ShellSurfing I saw your avatar come up on the side and wondered how you are going. Have you had the op yet?
- No reason why you can't surf once you are all healed up. You may not have the energy for it though so do everything you can to get help like I get my son now to pull my kayak to the water. Its a huge help for me and I have the energy to go paddling then. One boob off or two? I had only one off and my remaining one is small enough I can get away with no bra at all. In fact I haven't worn a bra since 2015.
- Dear @ShellSurfing, Great ideas and advice above. Sounds like you will work out a way to get back on your board on the beautiful ocean as soon as possible. I love the water too; but my balance is so bad, I can hardly stand on one leg let alone a surfboard. Best wishes from jennyss in Westen NSW
Being unbalanced can be a 'thing' particularly if you are big breasted. Like every other 'thing' with BC, it is not possible to figure out how badly, or not, you will be affected until you have leapt into the unknown. Same with chemo, radiotherapy, hormone treatment etc etbloodycetera. Completely impossible to predict where you will fall on the scale of ' Everybody is different.'
I've had a double mastectomy and, though I had issues with my reconstructions, I was not that badly affected when it came to strength and range of movement. Yes, it took a while to get over it, but it is possible. I'd expect it would be the same with the missing boob, if you are reasonably determined you will be able to train your body to adjust.
Just do what you can when you can. Worry about the rest later, though if you are a public patient considering reconstruction it would be wise to plan to get started with that when you have your mastectomy. Depending where you live, the wait times for recon can be brutal if you don't do it at the same time.
- That's a point - not sure where you live @ShellSurfing but you may want to invest in a long-sleeved rashie if you don't already have one. Target did have them for about $25, I think. The last thing you want is to get your arm sunburnt on your affected side.
- Hi @ShellSurfing if you have Radiotherapy day be aware you will need to careful with UV for some months after it ends as it seems to activate the radiated breast. We went to Cairns 4 weeks afterwards and I lived in a rashie plus I had to be careful about how prolonged time in sun.
- Thanks so much for that Sister, great to hear from someone who likes the water, weird things you worry about.
I am a D Cup, so not sure what the difference would be, but again thanks for the sharing of information.
Exercise and physio will be high on my list so I can get back to my sanity
