Second time round

Hi Jenny, can't help you on the ovaries, but I have had a recurrence. First time I had a lumpectomy and radiotherapy but no chemo. Eleven years later I had a recurrence in the scar tissue from the lumpectomy and in one lymph node, so I had a mastectomy and reconstruction in November last year and chemo that finished in May. Now on letrozole. In many ways I found the second time easier to deal with, after the initial shock, anger, fear etc settled, even though it was my first chemo experience. I knew the ropes generally and had a heap of breast cancer survivor friends through my dragon boat team, whereas first time round I knew no one with cancer so really thought it was a death sentence. I feel like there has been less challenge to my sense of who I am this second time, as I have already got used to being a person who has had cancer. Unlike Tonya, I changed my life around massively after the first time, and this second time I am just keen to get back to the 'new normal' life I built over the last 12 years. So as with all bc things, we all seem to react differently. I hope it all goes well for you. Viv