Hello 

This was me six weeks ago. 

I'm 37 and it's scary how many there are of us in our 30s in the situation. 

I'm stage three invasive ductal carcinoma, HER and oestrogen positive. So that means it's a hormonal aggressive cancer that needs chemo first. Also they want to shrink the lump so a lumoectomy is needed rather than a mastectomy. Makes sense really. I start June 6th, so not long. 

It's very quick once diagnosed. 

I started to join forums to get info, so this one and breast cancer care. I follow

Nalie.ca

It's a 24 Yr old who started a blog and vlogs, really inspirational.

I suggest you name your lump, helped me tell my little boy. Arnold is there, he shouldn't be, today this happened to Arnold, tomorrow this will happen. 

There is a book on breast cancer care, mummy's lump which I printed off and was useful to help talk about it. 

Make sure you use this time to get yourself prepared. I've got a big box of all the things I need for chemo. I feel ready for my fight. 

All I can say was for me keeping busy helped me, dont know if it'll work for you, but it worked for me. 

Good luck with your tests. 

I definitely feel more positive reading this and all the other replies. 

Congratulations, it shows that there is life after cancer!!

I think at the minute I’m still quite numb but once we get back from holiday next Friday I’m keen to put things in place as best I can re wig, etc as I like what other women have said about taking control of when I lose my hair. 

I’ve always been that kind of person to prepare for the worst and then if it’s not that bad, it’s a bonus. 

My husband is my best friend and we talk about everything. He has said he’s shocked how well I seem to be coping. 

Ive been having a little google re eyebrows & eye lashes. 

I did think about drawing them on but I’m rubbish with makeup and will end up looking like a clown

What did you do? 

Thanks x 

Hi,

Im glad mine and other replies have made you feel a bit better. Give yourself time to let the numbness fade...and it will, then you can start your battle all guns blazing :-)

My partner is also my best friend and when my hair started coming out he shaved mine off for me and his off too and we ended up raising £945 for McMillan Brave the Shave. It just felt good taking control of a rubbish situation.

I would definitely recommend microblading your eyerows on before chemo starts or a lot of people wont do it. The therapist refused to do mine as your at huge risk of infection through chemo and my doctor wouldnt ive me a note as I guess they dont want it coming back on them. I suffered infections and ended up in hospital pretty much after every chemo session so probably a good thing I didnt get it done. My partner ended up buying my a benefit brow kit which was pretty good and bought some cheap stencils from savers so I could give them some sort of shape. Wasnt ideal but didnt look horrendous. But I do wish I microbladed before hand. As for eyelashes there wasnt really a lot I could do, I just used to put a thin line of eyeliner round my eyes so I didnt look like too much of a corpse lol. Never looked into whether I could get false ones put on....could be an option :)

Candice x

Hi Tiamaria

Sorry to hear you have had the news no one wants.

I too had breast cancer young I was 29, total shock at the time and had lumpectomy chemo and radiotherapy.It was a grade 3, 2cm no lymph spread, I refused Tamoxifen at the time as I wanted to be sure I could have children which I luckily did.That was 1991 and I have been fit and healthy until another tiny lump in the same breast found by mammogram so mastectomy tomorrow and then hormone therapy.

Good luck keeping positive helps although it’s tough at times but as mums we always have the kids young and older to keep us busy.

G x

Hi Pug,

I am so sorry to hear that you have found another small lump afterall this time and, hope that your mastectomy goes well tomorrow.

I have had a lumpectomy and then a double mastectomy the following year for another lump in the same breast. That was 10 years ago. Believe it or not, I found the double mastectomy easier to cope with than the lumpectomy.

Do please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. As you know, we are alays here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi pug

Sorry it has returned, all the best for tomorrow.

Yes my little boy definitely keeps me busy and takes my mind off things from time to time x

Well I’ve made an appointment for my eyebrows and I’ve got all my dates booked in for the tests and then the 19th June appointment to discuss the results. 

Ive got mri, mammogram & ct scan tomorrow morning. 

We are then off to Center Parcs longleat for a week so I’m pleased we will have something to take our minds off things, we’ll as much as you can! 

I got my hair dyed this morning (I started going grey at 16) and then cancelled all my future appointments. I’m pleased I managed to fit that in before we go away. 

At least I won’t have to worry about going grey anymore if I end up wearing a wig!

Hi Tiamaria,

I am glad to hear that you have made your appointment for your eyebrows and got your hair dyed.

I hope that your tests tomorrow go well. It's just as well that you are away on holiday for a week. This should help to take your mind off the wait for results. I hope that you enjoy the break.

Fingers crossed for your results on 19th June.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi there 

Thank you for your kind response 

Yes it was a shock thought I’d beaten it,but at least it’s tiny and treatable thankful for screening would never have found it myself.

Just want to get it done now and  move on ,the last 6 weeks have been torture.

You had a pretty tough time,but sounds like you are battling on great news it’s 10 years.

At least this time I don’t have the joys of the radiotherapy and chemo

Hope you don’t mind me asking but do you take any hormone therapy as  I’m due to start  letrozole, good to hear others thoughts / experiences of it.

Gx

Hi Pug,

Yes. I had Tamoxifen for 1 year following my lumpectomy. The next year, after my double mastectomy, I went on to Letrozole for 6  years. I stopped taking this in July 2017.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx