Not sure where to turn for advice
Having been recently diagnosed with a 7.7cm tumour in my B-cup breast (luminal A, invasive ductal carcinoma) and no detectable tumours elsewhere, I've been scheduled for a mastectomy next week, follow...
Forum Discussion
Dear @ay123
Seeing a counsellor is a good start. That may help you to prioritise a number of strong feelings. If it helps though, many people when diagnosed have no pain or physical inconvenience from their cancer, often felt perfectly fine. That they may then feel very unwell from treatment is an unpleasant and unwelcome irony. But for many, and some much older than you, life is very precious. You are properly concerned about the impact in treatment for you on those close to you. But you might also consider the impact of a protracted and possibly unpleasant death.
Seeing a counsellor is a good start. That may help you to prioritise a number of strong feelings. If it helps though, many people when diagnosed have no pain or physical inconvenience from their cancer, often felt perfectly fine. That they may then feel very unwell from treatment is an unpleasant and unwelcome irony. But for many, and some much older than you, life is very precious. You are properly concerned about the impact in treatment for you on those close to you. But you might also consider the impact of a protracted and possibly unpleasant death.
I’ve had a mastectomy (no reconstruction) and chemo. I don’t consider myself disfigured - I have the record of an illness and the considerable skill and knowledge that stopped that illness. My body has proved remarkably resilient and endlessly wonderful. I got through chemo with no fatigue or nausea, worked throughout.
But you are the only one really who can make this decision. Your counsellor may be able to assist you in deciding the degree of risk you are willing to take. Deferring your mastectomy for a few weeks may be preferable to deciding against it entirely. These are hard decisions none of us like making but they are still always ours. Give yourself a little more time to reflect on an unwelcome and unwanted situation. Best wishes whichever road you choose.