Forum Discussion

Winetime's avatar
Winetime
Member
6 years ago

Mastectomy looming

This time next week I’ll be having my double mastectomy. For the first time since diagnosis I’m feeling so sad and swamped with gloom. The lumpectomy and the entire node removal left me mentally unscathed believing I’d be okay and able to cope with whatever was to come. I know I have no choice and to save my life these breasts that have turned on me have to begone. But .... it’s all so hard to comprehend. My glass half full look on life is now feeling decidedly shaky. Thankful for my fabulous family and friends though and today I randomly turned to a page in a daggy old mag at pathology quoting one of Winston Churchill’s sayings ... “If you’re going through hell... keep going.” I’ll try to keep that in mind. 
coping
mastectomy
surgery
  • Pusskat's avatar
    Pusskat
    Member
    5 years ago
    @Winetime I am three weeks post bilateral mastectomy surgery. Mine was scheduled to be around the same time as yours but Covid shutdowns got in the way and postponed things for a while. I hope you got to proceed with yours and that you are recovering well. There are so many emotions to deal with and new physical sensations to get your head around, aren’t there?! Ever since chemo, I feel a bit like I am having to relearn my body’s new normal and I can’t trust what it says anymore. This is starting to pass now as things settle, and getting some medication to help me sleep has certainly helped. When they say, Sleep is the great healer, they aren’t kidding! 

    I am not sure what I will do next. Have you decided? If I am to have a reconstruction, it will be from my tummy, but it seems that I still have some weight to lose before that can be done, so I have some thinking time. It will also include ovary removal as my cancer was HER2+ (and the estrogen suppression meds suck!). It’s kind of a relief not to have to carry around my G cups anymore anyway. Plus the idea of more surgery is pretty far down my wish list right now. 

    Anyway, I hope you are doing ok. Kat
  • Winetime's avatar
    Winetime
    Member
    5 years ago
    Well hello. 9 weeks on from the mastectomy and round 5 of chemo under the belt. 3 more to go so I’m over the hump. Life is slowly.... can’t say getting back to normal but maybe I’m accepting the new normal. Along with everything else going on in the world. Able now to stretch and do light weight exercises and walking every day which is so good for the poor old bod. Getting used to looking like that poor chick who was munched off the buoy in Jaws is also getting easier. But then again I didn’t flash my tits before so I won’t be starting now. Radiation to go and I hope to be sparkling again in September just in time for my granddaughters second birthday. Hope you continue to do well my dear. 
  • Winetime's avatar
    Winetime
    Member
    5 years ago
    And PS. No reconstruction for me. To think of more surgery and tissue expanders and skin stretching and .....Nup. Maybe a lovely work of art ...tattooed one day. In no hurry. 
  • Tinks's avatar
    Tinks
    Member
    5 years ago
    Wow @winetime you are going so well! Keep going!!

    I had a right mastectomy and axillary clearance, was told no talk of reconstruction until after radiotherapy. Now RT is over and skin healing up well, I like my lovely flat scar and I’m not at this time going to pursue reconstruction. 

    Flat and lopsided it is for me!

    lots of love Tinks xx