Hi Sandra,

Welcome to Cancer Chat. I am sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis.You are doing well by trying to cope one day at a time.The first letter you received today wasn't so bad.. It is going to remove the cancer in your breast and give you the chance to live a normal life once all this treatment is over, so the sooner you start the sooner you'll be finished with it all. The second was a definite bonus.

What surgery are you going to have - a lumpectomy or a mastectomy?

I have had 2 bouts of primary breast cancer. The first was diagnosed 7 years ago and the second the following year. Have you got a treatment plan in place post-surgery?

Please stay in touch. Remember, there is always someone here whenever you feel like talking.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine.

Thanks for the reply. 

I have 2 small lumps in my R breast (no one can feel them nor is there any outward change to be seen nor pain. Caught on routine screening).

They are grade 1 and grade  2 both invasive cancers. On MRI my lymph nodes look clear.

I am having a lumpectomy on the 21st as a day case. They are hoping to make 1 incision to get to both but will re assess on day. They are also taking 2 sentinel nodes for biopsy just in case. 

After the op all things being equal I am to have radiotherapy mon to fri for 3 wks.

Wow how matter of fact does it all sound in the written word when it is so not.

7yrs post diagnosis - I tip my hat to you Jolamine. When we are first diagnosed it's like our lives ended in that moment. This is so not true "living with Cancer" never a truer word.

take care Jolamine 

Sandra x

They won’t start treatment until you have healed. From personal experience, I started two months after surgery. 

I took time off afterwards. Took about a minth before I started feeling vaguely human again. Got thro most of the treatment altho I reduced my hours with agreement from my employer, this was due to fatigue. I went back after a month and gradually built my hours back up to full time. 

Hi hun

deep breaths...u will get there.

in answer to yr Radiotherapy query... can only tell u my timeline. 

2017

Op on 21st Sept  

2nd Oct meeting with surgeon for biopsy results of excision  ( clear margins nd lymph nodes - great news cos meant I could be referred to the oncologist to discuss my radiotherapy). Referral to oncology made.

19th Oct met oncologist nd marked up for radiotherapy 

30th Oct 1st radiotherapy session (Mon- Fri for 3 wks)

I had taken early retirement 9 mths prior to my diagnosis so can’t answer your 2nd query of time off work... anyone reading this who can answer Nicki72 can u please post:-)

The 17th April will come around quicker than u think. In the meanwhile take everything one day at a time. Try to stop yourself thinking ahead and the could, would and should be scenarios. Try and use the free from hospital time to not do things u need to but what u fancy doing:-)

Sending virtual hugs me dear. Take care x

I'm only 12 hrs contract I've been looking into other benefits that will help me while I'm off work I haven't a clue were to start 

Thank you its so scary not thinking I would ever get cancer but its been caught early thanks to lovely doctors and nurses at my hospital you would never think it could be you next and asking yourself why me what have I done to deserve this it's heartbreaking x

Hey Nikki. I'm stage 1 invasive too and have my OP on 13th April. L

Mines on the 17th mine was found early and its only small so I'm lucky but still coming to terms with it is hard x

Macmillan are quite good with this kind of stuff. See if you can contact them. 

I'm going to ring my nurse and ask about what I can do about benefits thank you xx

I'm going to ring my nurse and ask about what I can do about benefits thank you xx

Ah I’m so glad u nd cornishpastie have connected:-) You are both practically running parallel to each other in this club no one expected to join. X

I think it's easy talking to someone who has been or is going through the same has me and I can talk to strangers more than I can family they no know me personally but when I found this site and see what other ppl are going through or have been through you can relate thank you xx