Hi Sandra, I presume you are Sandra,

i was diagnosed last autumn before all the delays etc and I opted for a mastectomy- although my surgeon offered me a lumpectomy and reduction on the other breast, promising me the pert breasts of a twenty year old. Instead I opted for a mastectomy and even wanted a double mastectomy.  I begged, pleaded, cajoled and argued for so long,my daughter who was with me, finally said, "Give up, Mum, he's not going to do it!"  He said there were protocols he had to follow that didn't allow him to remove a healthy breast.  

To cut a long story short(ish) I had the mastectomy with sentinel node biopsy in October. Unfortunately I had to have further surgery a month later for lymph node clearance because the surgeon felt something in one of the sentinel nodes.  That could have happened whether I had lumpectomy or mastectomy. He was mistaken! The nodes were all clear.  I didn't require radiotherapy because I had the full breast off.  In fact the surgeon did say he was glad I had opted for that because the tumour, which was a lobular one, was bigger than first expected.  Apparently they are a bit harder to measure pre-surgery than others.  I wasn't offered chemo therapy, happily, I might say. I was prescribed hormone therapy that I was loath to take initially because I had read about terrible side effects, but mynGP talked me into taking it and I can't say I'm bothered too much by the side effects  

Six months down the line and my six month checkup was done by phone!!!   I have a slight problem with fluid retention in my surgery site, for which I am waiting for.laser treatment at the lymphoedema clinic. Again, that's on hold because of the lockdown but in all other respects I am back to my old self.  Prior to discovering my cancer I had been a bit worried about the fatigue I had been feeling, wondering if I should ask the doc for a blood test in case I was anaemic.  Once I got my diagnosis it explained a lot of things.  Now I'm back to walking the dog, gardening and enjoying life as much as lockdown allows. 

Obviously there are considerations to be made about your own situation, I just wanted to give you an example of life post mastectomy!

Christine x