I'd like to wake up now...

I can SO identify with worrying about how people will shape their views of you going into the future on the basis of how you behave during this horrible period. I was preoccupied with this too, and put a lot of pressure on myself to appear to be handling it 'well' so that others would think well of me! I love your psychiatrist's comment (and how good that this referral was made). So true. I've actually had moments of wishing I'd been more 'authentic' about my feelings during treatment. I think this was one reason I started a blog, to work through some things and try to get a grip on how I actually felt. And as for the pressure to 'think positive', I've touched on this a little on my blog (www.paw-paw-salad.com) in a post I didn't put on this site - and I think that it's something I'll return to in future, as I'm still struggling with it.

I also wondered about a prophylactic mastectomy on the second breast. My team is divided in their reactions to this idea (fair enough - it's not a simple decision!). General consensus was to wait a while, recover from active treatment and then make a decision further down the track. I sway to and fro on the issue on a regular basis!

In answer to your question, I've just returned to Darwin after finishing surgery (x3), chemo and radiotherapy - I had my treatment in Sydney (where I had just moved from on being diagnosed).

All the very best,

Liz