Life after bilateral mastectomy
It's just over 4 months since my operation and I feel pretty good. I didn't have reconstruction, and am so glad that I made that decision. Still feeling tight across my chest and the numbness will probably me re completely go away. It truly has been a horrid year for me, starting with my diagnosis in March, then lumpectomy, then the news that a further operation was needed to get a wider
margin! I didn't relish the idea of further surgery, then 7 weeks' radiation so made the decision to have mastectomy but, because I had huge boobs, the surgeon wouldn't remove one, as I would be too lopsided so both went. Three weeks after my operation one of my beloved dogs died, a beautiful Border Collie. Renal failure. Too sudden to cope with. In September my beloved cat died, a week after her 20th birthday. Just woke up that morning, unable to move and died in my arms in less than an hour. I am heartbroken at my losses and feel at times overwhelmed by grief. I had started on Tamoxifen ... after a couple of months of it and its side effects I decided to go without and take my chances as I had no lymph node involvement and my chances of recurrence were low, according to my surgeon. 2014 has been almost unbearable at times. I am a strong and positive woman, but everything that has happened has almost brought me to my knees at times.
