Hiya!

i bought zip up fleeces for my post surgery wardrobe but found I could pull on a tee shirt within a couple of days. My surgery was on my left side and I am right handed so my movement and ability to do things wasn't impeded much at all, although I still find the numbness under the arm and in the armpit a bit disconcerting, especially when I am drying myself and putting on deodorant! 

Its funny to read about being thankful that your mother has gone. My daughter and I are very close but she is brutally honest when she says she could not live with me. We used to go on holiday for a week at a time, twice a year, with never a cross word but we have our moments. Funnily enough, she is an accountant. 

I have been sitting here with a TENS machine attached to my knee, under orders to do nothing but rest, I will end up like all those characters on the space ship in that film 'Walle', rotund and immobile. I am being very well cared for, excellent food, very filling and healthy. I realise this is how I should eat all the time but when at home I tend to look in the fridge at all my healthy food and then grab a packet of crisps and an ice cream. 

Happy New Year!

Caz

sorry to hear your having to go for another op. 

Hope it goes well for you. X

im in same boat 17 months later I been told I have breast cancer. Took that xxxx long !  I had a lymph node op in armpit 5 weeks ago and now another one don’t know when. And chemo etc. I know how you feel I’m still in denial my world has fallen apart. I was told fri 13th great Christmas I just can’t be bothered with anything or anyone. Just fed up All I can see is a dark long road x. Let’s hope next year we all feel better and get through this.

Sheltie-lady 

i Hope your recovering well. I take it you had lymph node removed. That’s what I’ve had done 5 weeks ago but mine was right side that awful pain had gone but numbness and swelling is there. After biopsy now I have been told 16 long months later I have breast cancer and have to have another op and then chemo begins. I dread loosing my long hair and the side effects. I am in denial and shocked and not accepted it. Any tips will help. Had a quiet Christmas chin up kind of one. Tomo New Year’s Eve going to have a pet scan.  I’m so scared. Worried. Don’t know what to expect. 

Hope we all have a better year next year xx 

Yorkshire 

hope your ok. Your on lots medicines I take it. Sorry we all have to go through this dreaded C word. 

I live in north Lincolnshire where about are you. ? 

I got to go through chemo and another op soon I’m still recovering from lymph node removal op life is such an ***. 

My world has fallen Apart. I don’t know what to e levy from chemo.  Scared of it all. Loosing hAir And the rest. Unsure what to do right now. X. Happy new year. Hope a better one for us all xx 

Oh Sangha,

I am sorry to hear this. My second op all went fine and they managed to achieve clear margins the second time round. I was lucky enough to avoid chemo but please don't be disheartened by everything. Sam can fill you in about chemo but we are all positive people here and hopefully can make you see that this doesn't have to be a black dark hole you are in. You will get through this and we are here to perk you up. Breast cancer doesn't have to be something that drags you down, if you don't allow it to. We are here for you xx

cAz

thank you so much for your reply and support. Life hey. Are you recovering ok though ? XX. My arm is swollen and pins and needles type feeling. 

Im just dreading chemo. Hair loss. Don’t know if coming or going xx  happy new year to you  hope 2020 is a better  one for us all xx 

Hi Sangha,

Happy New Year!

I found the lymph node removal harder than the mastectomy which I expected as the breast isn't a vital organ and taking it off is less invasive than going into the armpit, I am eight weeks on now and the pain has diminished and the feeling of having been scraped with sandpaper from elbow to armpit is not as bad as it was. I find the numbness in the armpit is taking some getting used to but, all in all, I am pretty much back to normal. I got cording, which was painful but that's gone now. My biggest problem now is unrelated to cancer, it is my stupid old arthritic knee!  

You may find you don't need chemo, not every cancer is responsive to it, but even if you do there are ways of protecting your hair. I have been told to have hormone therapy which I am hesitating about because of potential side effects but that's only because I am old and don't think I could cope with bad side effects if, percentagewise, the benefits are relatively small.

Why did it take so long to diagnose the breast cancer? What were you told 16 months ago? I was told the same day that I had the biopsy that it was cancer and then just had to wait for the details. 

It is horrible to have cancer but it isn't what it used to be for most people so try not to be too scared. There are people on here who are still alive and well many years after their treatment, so take heart and you will be ok!

I find reading is the best way to forget about cancer for a few hours, otherwise it is in your head and on your mind all the time. A good mystery or thriller takes me out of cancer world for as long as it takes to finish the book. Then I start another one! Lol.

Christine x

Christine. 

Happy New year. And thank you for replying and your support. Xx 

sorry you have had to go through this. Yes the C awful word is awful. A killer just by hearing you have it XX 

so you had a Masectomy and lymph node removal I take it separate operations. 

Hope your feeling better xxx  I had my lymph node removal as in armpit but was getting enlarged  very painful   I had op six weeks tomo  very sore  awful swelling and numbness  

16 months like summer 2018 it started  had biopsy mammogram ct scan  all clear  had few admissions due to pain and temperatures  they said was infection  

From July this year it got worse and worse. Which led to the op. They took a biopsy then found cancer. At minute they treAting as breAst cancer. Had few scans mammogram. Ct scan pet scan. Incase it’s secondary and coming from anywhere else. 

I have been told I have to have another op nundurd which one. And defo chemo I’m dreading it all as we only found out on 13 Friday. December so my world just fell apart. We only told my son over Xmas. It was a quick dull Xmas and just did nothing hardly xx 

I’m scared of loosing hair. Side effects I’m 45. Had enough already. Xxxx. Thsnk you XX 

That’s very true. Think it’s just early days. ThAnk you. Xx