Forum Discussion

Cath_wal's avatar
Cath_wal
Member
13 years ago

Hard decision

Well after a four week wait for genetic testing results, inconclusive! I hadn't realised how much I had been counting on these results. I broke down. It made me think more though. I knew what I was going to do if positive, but what if they were negative. I didn't want to go down my mothers path of going through all the treatment twice and then dying. I discussed the alternatives with my surgeon. Five years of drug treatment, every six months of MRI, or ultra sound and mammogram for the next 15 yrs, or six months now and be done with it. As difficult as it has been to make this decision, I know in the long term it will be piece of mind. So in 2 weeks I'm having a prophylactic mastectomy and implants at the same time. I am scared, but reading the positive outcomes that lots of women have recorded here helps. Thank you everyone for sharing.

7 Replies

  • LeanneI's avatar
    LeanneI
    Member
    13 years ago

    Hi Cath - I have replied to your message tonight but wanted to say Good Luck for Friday!! WIll be a week of ups & downs but know that you have made the hardest decision so now is onward & upward!!!

    I had the same surgery 2 yrs ago (July 2010) and after steps forward & a couple back it was all done & dusted in February 2011.  My genetic testing was also inconclusive but made no difference to my decision. The weight has been removed from my shoulders and I am sure that you will be feeling similar emotions.

    Please contact me anytime - i have put my phone number in the message. Give me a call if you would like a chat.

    Meanwhile try to enjoy the week and embrace the positive decision you have made :-)

    Bye Leanne

  • LeanneI's avatar
    LeanneI
    Member
    13 years ago

    Hi Cath - I have replied to your message tonight but wanted to say Good Luck for Friday!! WIll be a week of ups & downs but know that you have made the hardest decision so now is onward & upward!!!

    I had the same surgery 2 yrs ago (July 2010) and after steps forward & a couple back it was all done & dusted in February 2011.  My genetic testing was also inconclusive but made no difference to my decision. The weight has been removed from my shoulders and I am sure that you will be feeling similar emotions.

    Please contact me anytime - i have put my phone number in the message. Give me a call if you would like a chat.

    Meanwhile try to enjoy the week and embrace the positive decision you have made :-)

    Bye Leanne

  • Cath_wal's avatar
    Cath_wal
    Member
    13 years ago
    Thankyou for your comments. It's good to hear positive stories. My surgery is scheduled for this Friday. It has been a difficult decision, however, after watching my mother go through breast cancer and eventually die, I am hoping this option is the better one. I will take one day at a time.
  • wendyb's avatar
    wendyb
    Member
    13 years ago

    I had to make a similar decision.  I was diagnosed with non invasive DCIS in my left breast.  Given my family history I opted for a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction.  This was not an easy decision and took us a couple of weeks to come to terms with and agree that it was the right option.  It meant that I would never be able to breastfeed which is something that I would have liked to have experienced. One of the benefits was that I got to upsize!

    I had my surgery 7 months ago now and I am very happy with the decision that I made and have no regrets.  I don't think that I would be able to handle going through the surgery and recovery all over again if I had one side done.  My life has started to return to normality after 5 months so it has been a long road.  Although it seems so long ago that it all happened.

    I am still getting used to my new implants and learn something new about them all the time eg what my body likes and dislikes about them.

    Take each day as it comes and you will get there. 

     

  • chipmunk's avatar
    chipmunk
    Member
    13 years ago

    Hi Cath.wal

    Welcome to the family 

    We all go through the wait and anticipation... Waiting for this result and waiting for that result. Not knowing what we should do and how it will be treated.

    I know, I would be picking the 6 months of treatment. 

    Just keep posting here, as we all are here for you

    Love Julie XX

  • chipmunk's avatar
    chipmunk
    Member
    13 years ago

    Hi Cath.wal

    Welcome to the family 

    We all go through the wait and anticipation... Waiting for this result and waiting for that result. Not knowing what we should do and how it will be treated.

    I know, I would be picking the 6 months of treatment. 

    Just keep posting here, as we all are here for you

    Love Julie XX

  • memyselfI's avatar
    memyselfI
    Member
    13 years ago

    Hi Cath.wal' I wasn't sure how your post came into my In box as I don't think I have corresponded with you before but its always good to hear how those newly diagnosed are coping. It is a very hard process and yes we still move between the Denial stage (It isn't me) to the Shock (Its me and I can't really believe it, I am shocked by it all) for quite a while, we might start to accept parts of the diagnosis but like you find its very disappointing, when something like the genetic testing doesn't give you the useful results you had hoped for. I will pray for peace of mind for you as your future plans unfold and become clearer for you. My favourite verse of scripture that helped me through the difficult times is

    Matt 6:34"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." I do hope that is of some help to you too.
    Blessings memyselfi.