Reconstruction ?

Hi Judy

So sorry to hear that you have had to go thought all of that surgery and chemo and radiation. Good on you for progressing with your reconstruction! I send you lots of good wishes for a smooth surgery and recovery.

There are so many things I could tell you about my experience (and I am sure many other women could do the same!) I was fortunate NOT to have all of the cancer treatment you have had as I was only diagnosed with a breast cancer marker (called LCIS). With my strong family history of breast cancer, alongside the warning flag supplied by this marker, I went ahead and had a preventative double mastectomy and reconstruction (planned to have DIEP but ended up with a muscle sparing TRAM) in August last year. So I'm not almost six months down the track and still healing up.

I started a blog to keep my family and friends up to date, but I am happy to share my experience with any other women who are facing similar decisions and surgery. Here is the link:

http://watermelonheartsblog.com/category/breast-surgery-mastectomies-reconstruction/ ;

I write about more than my breast surgery but that link will take you to all of the posts relating to my experience of mastectomies and reconstruction.

The main thing I would say to you at this point is to rest and do things that make you calm. It is a big surgery and a long recovery time. The calmer you are, the better you will deal with it I find. And ASK FOR HELP! That was my big lesson - I've always thought I could do everything myself. But this is a time to stop being superwoman and ask for (& receive!) all the help you can get, especially in the recovery period afterwards.

I hope that is a bit helpful for you and I send you lots of positive thoughts for the coming months. It is hard but you will get through it. Lots of us on this site have!

Sarah