Hi there, Im sorry to hear you are going through this. Certain parts of your post resonated with me. I am newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer and like you am trying to remain positive, planning my Christmas shopping prior to starting chemo in a couple of weeks, and finding it very strange to even be writing about/acknowledging that I have cancer!

I only discovered this site a couple of days ago but already am finding comfort from it, being able to chat with people in the same boat, at the same time as trying to also offer some comfort and wise words where I feel I can.

i hope you find out quickly what you are dealing with, every day waiting is torture, and hope you are lucky enough that it doesn’t turn out to be what you are expecting.

Sending you love and here to chat when you want to. H x

Dear H, thank you so much for your reply and your kind words. I am like you have booked the week off and getting the Christmas shop in, I think I am doing it as a distraction. I hope all goes well with your chemo, keep in touch, sending lots of love and hugs xxx

Thank you, I will keep you posted on my treatment - you keep us updated too on results, etc. Enjoy the shopping, nothing like retail therapy to keep you distracted!

Lots of love xx

Hi, I can empathize with you. My breast cancer diagnosis came as a shock and to be immediately talking to a Surgeon was overwhelming. Even now three and a half weeks post surgery it's hard to believe t's all happening. I am amazed how smoothly it has gone and the hospital staff were lovely. I am now healing and waiting for my first radiotherapy session on December 18th. It's a daunting pathway and it's really good to have others to discuss it with. Like you, I did some of my Christmas shopping before as I didn't know how I would feel afterwards. I am glad that I did. Hope it goes well for you. 

So sorry for my late reply and thank you so much for your message, it really means a lot. Hope you are coping okay with all that you are going through, sending lots of love and hugs xxx

Thank you so much for your message, I am hoping to get my results tomorrow as the consultants meet on a Friday to discuss results and treatment plans. Do you mind me asking how soon you had surgery after getting the diagnosis. Sending lots of love and hugs to you xxx

Hi, my surgery was around 5 weeks after diagnosis and I was offered the choice of two operations. I was told that the policy was to operate within a month but that in reality it worked out at around 4-6 weeks for most people. This seems amazingly quick given the waiting list times for other operations. My first post op review was two weeks after surgery.

Thank you so much for your message, please can I ask what the two options of surgery are you were offered. I have made the decision that I will opt for a mastectomy and if possible a double mastectomy even though one breast appears healthy. Though it is early days so I imagine they will want to go over all the options with me xxx 

Hi, I was offered a choice of a micap op, with localisation done through isotope injection and then lumpectomy. With this one, they make use of a skin graft to patch in the area removed so that the remodeling is natural use of your own skin. The other option was complete removal of the breast but with conservation of the skin. That required the use of an animal product to make a pouch where a fake gel breast implant would be placed to remodel the breast. I found it really hard to choose as both had fors and againsts. Finally I chose the first option as it could be done sooner and was less invasive. It's down side is that I now have to have radiotherapy. It is healing well, but I do have considerable soreness and bruising over my right rib. The tightness is helped by doing the exercises daily. I guess choice is individual and it's often hard to know what to do. We can only take advice and hope for the best.