Your reactions are normal and the whole diagnosis procedure and cycle of appointments is both overwhelming and exhausting. You now have a treatment plan, until the surgery day, take it one day at a time. Try and do something you enjoy each day but you could try doing a few things in readiness for the surgery such as sorting out bras and maybe putting some easy to cook meals on the freezer as you might find moving your arm post surgery is uncomfotable to begin with. 

Thank you thats good advice 

I was diagnosed with DCIS almost 12 months ago now.  I was told that DCIS is totally contained in the milk duct, is non invasive, is not life threatening and is totally treatable. I never lost sight of this and totally trusted my medical team. If you're unlucky enough to get breast cancer then these are all the things you want to hear.

I had a wide local incision (lumpectomy) in January followed by a course of radiotherapy (15 sessions) over February and March.

I kept a diary and just wrote my feelings in it whenever I felt like it. I came across it the other day and much of what I wrote now seems like a distant memory which shows just how far I've come in a few short months.

I feel incredibly lucky that my cancer was found so early and am now considered cured. In fact my surgeon said that when my treatment was finished I would be cured. They don't say that easily with cancer.

Take each day at a time and give youself the time to come to terms with your diagnosis. I found that talking about it helped me. People don't know how to react so I found that jumping in about it straight away got it out of the way and you can then talk about all the normal things.

There is a 99% survival rate after 10 years so the prognosis for this type of cancer is excellent.

I now have the reassurance of an annual mammogram for 5 years and I am on a patient led follow up programme so I have a direct contact immediately if I have the slightest worry about anything.

I ran the Race for Life in July, celebrated my 70th Birthday and Golden Wedding anniversary this year and still have a lot of living to do.

I hope my experience will give you some reassurance and I wish you well for a happy and healthy future. x