Hi @Outra, I'm 63 and have feared chemo because I believed it would kill me. I supported many friends thru gruelling treatments, all to no avail. But none of them had breast cancer. I always said to myself I'd have an immediate mastectomy if I got breast cancer. I was not afraid of radiation. I had it all covered, just in case the unbelievable happened. My breasts are so small mammograms were never an option. 2 years ago my regular ultrasound said nothing to worry about. In May I had another ultrasound and had 2 locally advanced tumours in my right breast. I said great, take both my breasts off and I'll get cute little implants.
They said I was INOPERABLE. I'd never heard such a thing.
They said my only option was chemo. No ifs, buts or maybe's.
I didn't feel that I had any choices at all to make. No one suggested anything else. I was now watching the tumours pull my tiny breast out of shape. I started chemo within weeks, terrified beyond belief but trying to appear brave and nonchalant. That was in June, I've still got another 5 weeks to go. It hasn't killed me but most surely has changed every aspect of me. I grieve for my old life and wonder who I will be at the end of all this? I thought I had a good perspective on life already. Due to the dreamlike nature of (my) chemo, time passes unnoticed. I can't remember yesterday. Mostly, I feel like I've been pushed off the merry-go-round and need some time to recover before getting back on.
If I had been given options things might have turned out differently.
I still don't know what the breast surgeon is planning.
I will definitely be taking a statistician with me when I have my visit with the radiologist.
I am curious to know of your options and what you choose.
I wish you all the best, whatever path you go down.
Cheers
Patsy