Thank you all for your reply's, don't know if I'm doing it properly but I can't seem to reply to individual posts.

my surgery on 24th December is for lumpectomy on both breasts, so far there is no talk of mastectomy. Obviously I'm terrified but feel reassured that I'm not going to be in complete agony for Christmas Day. 
wishing you all a very merry Christmas, and thank you once again for replying to my post. 
Mary