Mixed Emotions

That last was suppose to say

I hope this was helpful, any other questions feel free to ask. 

Maybe it is time for me to go to bed.

Hi Helen, I had to have a double masectomy because I had two separate breast cancers, one in each breasts.  Yes I know what is the likelyhood of getting breast cancer twice at the same time.  Both my cancers were close to the nipples, so I was going to lose them anyway.  Plus with a strong family history I am the 4th person.  I would most probably had to have a double masectomy.

In regards to my recovery, its three months since I had my masectomy, centinel node removal on both sides and had tissue expanders put in straight away.  Except for the side effects of chemo, I am back to normal, doing all my previous activities without any soreness.  I have loss sensations to most of my breasts, (since mine were removed I guess its really my chest muscle lol).  I still have 2 more surgeries, one to insert the implants then the next one to make the nipples.  Then if I wish I can have the nipples tatoo.

The first couple of weeks are the hardest as you cant do much.  As each week goes by it picks up.  The hardest was not being allowed to drive for over a month. This is safety reason said surgeon in case you land in an accident you don't have the strength in your arms to steer yourself.  I hate having to wait for anyone to take me anywhere. I am grateful, I just like being able to go anywhere when I want to.

In regards to size, I am only a B cup. I have chosen for my reconstruction to remain the same size.  I have lots of friends with bigger breasts who complain of their size, I am happy with my size.  Plus I did not want to have to change all my clothes to accommodate bigger boobs. 

The process with the tissue expanders, on the operation they were half full.  Then I had to wait 5 - 6 weeks for the scar to heal. This time was painful for me, for about 2 weeks but this was because I took a alergic reaction to the glue on the bandages. Then I only had a couple weeks before chemo to be expanded.  So I was expanded quite quickly in a short time, as my hospital will not do any expansions during chemo.  The first expansion, after being almost flat chested, I felt quite full and top heavy, had to adjust to the extra weight.  Otherwise now its been quite okay. 

I hope this was helpful any other questions.

Good luck

Dot

Hi Dot

I think a quiet christmas was not such a sacrifice, at leat you were all together.  I got my diagnosis on Christmas eve- also my husbands birthday.  Hope the chemo is progressing OK.  It seems to be so much easier than it was 10 years ago.

How is your recovery going from the double mastectomy? I am dreading the thought of not being able to do things for myself.  At least I won't have hair to worry about!

How is the process with the expanders going?

I keep telling people it is such a fuss for such little things (since mother hood I shrunk to a small A cup).

Good luck with it all.

Helen

Good luck with your surgery.  I just had a bi lateral masectomy with tissue expanders on 4/11/2010. The pain killers really do help.  I found the most annoying thing is the drains I had put in from the lymph nodes removal.  I totally understand how upset you are your baby's first bday.  That is a big milestone. 

I at least was out of hospital for Xmas.  The only downfall is I started my first dose of chemo on xmas eve.  So i was a little bit nausea.  So this year my kids had a pretty quiet Xmas, as I was too scared to drive all over the countryside visiting incase I was sick.

Please if you want to ask any questions about my surgery or the tissue expanders. Feel free.  When ever I feel like I need support I come to this site.   Sometimes I blog  and other times all I need is to read other girls  blogs and just knowing that there is other people out there who understands, gets me through. There are some beautiful women on this website who are so helpful, all the ones that have replied to you have help me when  I first came on this site.

Thank care, Wishing you all the best

Dot

Good luck with your surgery.  I just had a bi lateral masectomy with tissue expanders on 4/11/2010. The pain killers really do help.  I found the most annoying thing is the drains I had put in from the lymph nodes removal.  I totally understand how upset you are your baby's first bday.  That is a big milestone. 

I at least was out of hospital for Xmas.  The only downfall is I started my first dose of chemo on xmas eve.  So i was a little bit nausea.  So this year my kids had a pretty quiet Xmas, as I was too scared to drive all over the countryside visiting incase I was sick.

Please if you want to ask any questions about my surgery or the tissue expanders. Feel free.  When ever I feel like I need support I come to this site.   Sometimes I blog  and other times all I need is to read other girls  blogs and just knowing that there is other people out there who understands, gets me through. There are some beautiful women on this website who are so helpful, all the ones that have replied to you have help me when  I first came on this site.

Thank care, Wishing you all the best

Dot

sorry to hear about your news, but what i can say, is the waiting is the worse part, we all imagine all sort of things, so just let the tears flow, we all know it helps, once you get your op out of the way and treatment if needed started we somehow get a bit more inner strength, its great you have a partner there to help, and this is when you have to learn to accept help from anyone willing to give it, so dont be hard on yourself, we have been there and in a few months time, you will be the one writing this and helping someone else go down the same path, we are all here for you, feeln free to come on laugh, cry, vent or shout, as our friend shirley said the only thing we cant offer is a chat over coffee, but Di is working on that, and has even put her profile photo as a nice coffee, take care will be thinking of you.  Regards Moira

Hey Sweetie

I too have had two caesarians and the pain is way less than that!!!  The anxillary clearance hurts but the actual mastecomy with tissue expanders is not so bad.

I only took a couple of panadol with mine, so stop stressing you are stronger than you think.

I am going back for my exchange surgery later in the month, so I will hopefully be all finished with surgery for GOOD.!!

Take care tomorrow and please let us know how you are when you are feeling up to it.

Tanya xx

Yep I am hoping the pain killers will be of good strength as I just dont do pain overly great but I have got through several surgies to date but just none so big as this.

I have had a wide local surgery about 8 weeks ago and I was okay after it and 2 cesarians for my kids etc but I am still just not sure how Ill go with this pain. I can only assume it will be way worse than any pain post op.

I will try and do as many have said keep on top of the pain and keep up with the meds to give my body as much help as possible to relax and heal.

Ah oh why oh why does this stupid BC have to create itself !!!!

Thanks guys xoxoxo