Decision to have bilateral mastectomy

Thanks @SoldierCrab ❤️

Mum2jj just saved that list onto my links document then I can quickly tag any of you and give the person the link to the group. 

AH mum2jj I am brain dead this week and it took me all my time to remember your name to tag.....  

@SoldierCrab, thanks for the tag. Our admins are @Chorsell, @Jane221, @alexinbrisbane, @LouiseTurner, and myself. One of us usually gets to requests within 24hrs. @Leahh13 was signed up yesterday so hopefully not a glitch. 
Thanks again for looking out for us. 
Paula xxxx

Hi @Leahh13,
I have just checked and you are a member of choosing breast recon. You were signed up yesterday. We are a group of volunteer admins but will usually get to your request within 24hrs. Here is the link again to the group
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/group/1-choosing-breast-reconstruction
If you can’t access it, make sure you are logged in to the network first and if you are and still can’t access it please give @Giovanna_BCNA or @Marianne_BCNA a call. I am running out the door to my paid job, but will check in with you later tonight when I am home. 
Hugs. 
Paula xxx

@primek who are other leaders on choosing breast reconstruction? 

Hi @Leahh13. I think I understand how you feel a little. I am meeting my surgeon at lunch time today. I'm telling him today that I want double mastectomy immediate reconstruction. I decided yesterday and I slept through last night for the first time in weeks so I know it is the right decision for me even through I'm scared. I love my breasts, but I don't want this hanging over my head for the coming years, the past month has been hell. I was diagnosed last month after my first ever mammogram. I'm 42. No family history, don't smoke, fit and healthy, breastfed both kids and had them in my 20s (all these are supposed to reduce our odds of getting BC??) Have intermediate DCIS in left. MRI has shown two more suspicious areas in same breast and one in the right breast. My breasts are very dense. They want to biopsy all these before deciding which procedure. I am only a B cup and the surgeon has already said that one spot they can remove, multiple they must take the breast. I don't like the odds of the other spots becoming something down the track even if they are given the clear this time. I can't even imagine what other people on this forum are going through and have already been through. Mine seems minimal in comparison.

Interesting to hear about the air expanders @Eastmum - I will definitely add that to my long list of questions.

I was hoping someone can help me connect with the Choose Breast Reconstruction Group. I have asked to join but haven't heard anything.

@mum2jj

Thank you both I feel much better I seem to be battling to get into the breast recon group I have been accepted but seem to have some technical madness at the moment

Hi @Leahh13 - I had a double mastectomy into expanders in April. 

I was fortunate that I was able to choose to schedule my surgery in the school holidays at the end of Term 1 so that I could be back at work (at school) for the start of Term 2. I was in hospital for 9 days and back at work as scheduled. I was driving two weeks after surgery. 

The surgery experience was totally fine. I was very worried about going under anesthetic as I hadn’t had great experiences in the past but my anesthetist was amazing and it was honestly terrific! Woke up feeling great. The pain was definitely manageable - I had use of the self-administered intravenous pain management drug for 48 hours and that was awesome. After that it was panadeine forte for a few days. 

I ended up going home with two of my original four drains. That was really annoying but I knew it was important that they stay in while I was still draining fluid consistently. I went to work with the drains - ended up naming the last one ‘Connie’ because she was consistently by my side! Honestly couldn’t wait to get rid of her! It was about 4 weeks after the op that I finally got that last drain out and it’s really now just a dim memory. There was no pain associated with my drains at all. 

I have ‘air’ expanders as opposed to the traditional saline filled. They’re great - I fill them myself with a remote control device. I had them at my desired size in about two weeks and now just top them up now and then as they can deflate very slightly over time - happy to give you more info about them any time. I have photos too. They were definitely uncomfortable at the beginning - cannot lie. And I still feel them there but you get used to it. They are hard to the touch and sort of feel like a a bicycle tyre strapped to your ribs - or as someone once described it on this forum so well - like a handbag strapped to your chest. It’s definitely a weird feeling but you do get used to it and it’s no longer painful at all. 

I won’t be going down the recon path until next year, after my body has decided how it will tolerate and recover from radiation. 

Hope this has helped a bit - hit me up with any questions any time. 

All the best xxxxx