New Diagnosis

Hi Girls

I had a mastectomy of my left breast on the 12th January this year. I am 39 with two boys, 6 and 9 years. I am going through chemo at the moment. A link to my blog is below. I talk about my journey this year. Feel free to message me if you have any questions or just need to vent!

 http://www.bcna.org.au/user/8223/blog

Take care, thinking of you,

Natalie, Cairns :)

 

Thanks Jo, I'll be thinking of you 2, good luck. And hugs right back at ya! Xx

Thanks Jo, I'll be thinking of you 2, good luck. And hugs right back at ya! Xx

Thanks Shazinoz, it is comforting that I am not alone on this journey, even thigh it is a lonely one! Hugs

Good Luck to you too Joey (NOt that you will need it either) for your surgery on Thursday.

Of course it is a hard decision to make (I made the same decision and had my mastectomy on 3rd Feb 2012) your boobs have been a part of you for 37 years, but like you said there isn't a whole lot of options (2-3 really -

Ignore it (Not a good option, because we know where that will lead),

Lumpectomy (if offered, and depending on more factors - I was given this as an option but I wanted my boob GONE, if it was gone it couldn't try to kill me, and Ibelive that the more that is gone the less likely it is to come back), and

Mastectomy (again I believe the more that is taken the less likely it is to come back or cause more complications, like repeat surgeries, and the like).

You can have a reconstruction, if you want one (sometimes at time of surgery, and sometimes later) and believe me they look GREAT - I had an immediate silicone implant reconstruction when I had my mastectomy, and  I LOVE it. I am having my other breast removed and reconstucted when I finish chemo etc as I am at high risk due to family history etc (and am awaiting genetic testing for the genes, because breast cancer is in both sides of my family).

There is lots of help and support out there for you, your husband, family and kids (and in explaining things to the kids etc), so if you need it take advantage of it (if you need help, talk to your surgeon, breast care nurse, or the Cancer council etc and they should be able to put you in contact with any services you might need), also online groups like here can help you (and your family) a lot too, as can the litriature out there (I was given so much reading material, my head nearly exploded, but it helped, and I still go back and look through it as new things pop up).

Again Good Luck - not that you will need it, and I will be thinking of you (and Hayley) as you have your surgery on Thursday.

Thanks Shazinoz, Date for surgery is Thursday 3rd May. I would be extremely happy if she was to do reconstruction at same time. But I asked and she is not keen to do that. I think I might ask again, but in the end I agree, take it all. And ultimately I would like the other one gone to. Just in case.

 

I have such a great support network from everyone. And mum had a lumpectomy almost 2 years ago now. So she is extremely supportive. Lots of big breaths have been taken. I am almost excited to get the treatment process started, so we can finish it!!

 

Thanks again and good luck.xxx

Welcome...

I also went straight for the mastectomy when given a choice (I was borderline for lumpectomy or mastectomy, but as soon as I was told I have Breast cancer I said to my husband I don't want them - either of them, I will have a double mastectomy (they would only do the cancerous one to begin with but they are doing the other after I finish chemo etc - due to my family history etc). I personally didn't want to keep something that was trying to kill me.

I am also having my other one removed after I finish chemo, as I am high risk of it due to family history etc (awaiting genetic testing for BRACA genes) and therfore could get it in the other breast, so I don't want that one either.

I am 41 (40 @ diagnosis - 22/12/11- stage2 ductal cell carcinoma). I had a nipple sparing and partial skin sparing mastectomy with an immediate silicone implant reconstruction (didn't know at the time if I was having the any of the skin or nipple spared, but my surgeon decided to keep what he could because they were clear) (the skin near my tumour was removed becasue the tumour was puckering the skin so it was probably close to the skin (I was happy tfor them to take everything if they had to as long as they would start the process for reconstruction. I was supposed to have a skin/tissue expander put in but when my surgeon did the surgery he said things were good enough for the implant to go staight in saving me another surgery in the future.

It ireally is up to you if you want to go for the lumpectomy first or the mastectomy, as you are the one who has to live with the decision (breast, no breast, chace of regowth and everything).

Reconstructions can and do look really good these days - if I didn't show my scars you would have NO idea that I had, had a reconstrcution done, and my scars will fade overtime making them a lot less obvious than they are (I only had the surgery on 03/02/12, so they are very new, but they will fade and even if they didn't I don't care - scars are the least bother to me - getting the tumour out and reducing my risk of it coming back was my first (and only) choice really, anything more was a bonus.

You are right it is totally different when you talk about it hyperthetically, and then have to deal with it for real.

You are being very strong - the initial diagnosis is the hardest, because they tell you , you have cancer and then they throw everything at you so quickly - surgery, tests, options and everything and your brain and body are still in shock from hearing the - You have cancer line. Next hardest is the waiting for things - surgery, results etc and then to see if you need more treatment like radiotherapy or chemo.

If you want someone to talk about more about options, the breast care nurses are wonderful - a lot of hospitals have these are they are worth their weight in gold - It depends on where you are in Oz of course, but your hospital may have one (or more) or have acces to one in your area.

You WILL get through this. Take a deep breath and you will be fine.

Good Luck with you upcoming appointments and surgery (do you have a date for surgery yet?)

Welcome...

I also went straight for the mastectomy when given a choice (I was borderline for lumpectomy or mastectomy, but as soon as I was told I have Breast cancer I said to my husband I don't want them - either of them, I will have a double mastectomy (they would only do the cancerous one to begin with but they are doing the other after I finish chemo etc - due to my family history etc). I personally didn't want to keep something that was trying to kill me.

I am also having my other one removed after I finish chemo, as I am high risk of it due to family history etc (awaiting genetic testing for BRACA genes) and therfore could get it in the other breast, so I don't want that one either.

I am 41 (40 @ diagnosis - 22/12/11- stage2 ductal cell carcinoma). I had a nipple sparing and partial skin sparing mastectomy with an immediate silicone implant reconstruction (didn't know at the time if I was having the any of the skin or nipple spared, but my surgeon decided to keep what he could because they were clear) (the skin near my tumour was removed becasue the tumour was puckering the skin so it was probably close to the skin (I was happy tfor them to take everything if they had to as long as they would start the process for reconstruction. I was supposed to have a skin/tissue expander put in but when my surgeon did the surgery he said things were good enough for the implant to go staight in saving me another surgery in the future.

It ireally is up to you if you want to go for the lumpectomy first or the mastectomy, as you are the one who has to live with the decision (breast, no breast, chace of regowth and everything).

Reconstructions can and do look really good these days - if I didn't show my scars you would have NO idea that I had, had a reconstrcution done, and my scars will fade overtime making them a lot less obvious than they are (I only had the surgery on 03/02/12, so they are very new, but they will fade and even if they didn't I don't care - scars are the least bother to me - getting the tumour out and reducing my risk of it coming back was my first (and only) choice really, anything more was a bonus.

You are right it is totally different when you talk about it hyperthetically, and then have to deal with it for real.

You are being very strong - the initial diagnosis is the hardest, because they tell you , you have cancer and then they throw everything at you so quickly - surgery, tests, options and everything and your brain and body are still in shock from hearing the - You have cancer line. Next hardest is the waiting for things - surgery, results etc and then to see if you need more treatment like radiotherapy or chemo.

If you want someone to talk about more about options, the breast care nurses are wonderful - a lot of hospitals have these are they are worth their weight in gold - It depends on where you are in Oz of course, but your hospital may have one (or more) or have acces to one in your area.

You WILL get through this. Take a deep breath and you will be fine.

Good Luck with you upcoming appointments and surgery (do you have a date for surgery yet?)