A WHIRLWIND HAS HIT ME!

Good luck with the road ahead. You are so positive - a breath of fresh air.

Wishing you all the best in beating this beast!

Good luck with the road ahead. Being positive is such an important part of what you're going to be going through. I felt exactly the same as you. I just wanted the 'bad' breast gone. I just wanted it gone, but was assured a lumpectomy was best. I went through two lumpectomies before the mastectomy. I can honestly say it was a relief to just be rid of it, and I still feel the same today. I did as you did, and got my hair cut short to get used to it.

Just go with the flow, rest when you can, be lazy, read a lot, see people only of you want to. Learn to look after yourself.

I found this board fantastic when I was diagnosed.

Check out your local support group, arc center in Eccles street, I think there's one in cork. There's also Larcc center in mullingar. They are a great support.

I 'm new to this too but Im about 8 weeks into "knowing". Had the mastectomy and axial clearance nearly 4 weeks ago. Like you said, I previously thought how awful it must be to have a breast removed but the night before the op I was looking at my breasts thinking I should say goodbye to the left one and I only thought "get it out of me!" That was after being on way to theatre the week before for 2 lumpectomies and was in radiology for the wires and as they did the ultrasound they found a 3rd area that hadnt been seen previously on mammo, ultra or MRI! Had to have more biopsies and go home and wait again. So had the mastectomy and it turned out that there was DCIS all over the place so just as well.
You are coping so well with "the whirlwind" ! I think you will be cheering up the rest of us who are further along the road. Best of luck with it all. I didnt find post surgery too bad. Sore arm is the biggest surprise. Also I stayed in hospital until the drains were out (5th day) and was glad about that. So maybe you can consider it.
Josephine x x x

Thanks for the replies...still in 'shock' that I'm even writing this as I speak but hey! life happens. Lots and lots of questions I could ask you all me being the newbie and all that. Find that I am so curious. I was gently told about a lumpectomy initially by my consultant when he gave me the biopsy results-that conversation lasted for all of 2 seconds when I interupted my consultant and asked him to fast forward to my best medical outcome regardless of the 'physical' and 'emotional' stuff and he suggested that a mastectomy would be the best and how did I feel? How did I feel? Believe it or not I had already fast forwarded to how would the 'reconstruction' work matching one breast up to the other one. We chatted again and discussed the medical outcomes (having a double mastectomy) and the emotional/physical outcomes of a single/double mastectomy. I was lucky that I had already given it huge thought from the day I had the biopsy done and I was and still am 110% sure I want a double mastectomy. On a lighter note he said it would be easier for him to give me a better matching new pair starting from scratch and as I jokingly said after 5 children anything would look better than the originals

In a strange way I'm here writing and still have my breasts but I really am looking forward to them being gone and giving me a fighting chance at really dealing with this cancer that is inside my breast. I have decided to talk openly and frankly with my children being age appropriate with the info too. My 9yr old boy has just gone to bed (eventually) after asking me to show him 'bald women' pics on the internet. So showed him Gail Porter,who I think looks so pretty. He looked and asked me would I cry when my hair goes. I told him no, that I'm okay with it and have lots of little plans made for a wig, scarves etc. so he seemed fine with that.

Hopefully, the positivity we feel will remain with me and my family as we continue my treatment. Its tough having to talk to the children about it but I think it would be tougher if we didn't talk and they heard some bits and made up the rest in their minds which could be worse than what it actually is.

But had a lovely day with the children in the park, the youngest one getting his first little 2 wheeler bike and loving the freedom. So here I am and expect a lot of 'chat' from curious me

I was the same with my kids, even the 8 year old ( he has autism so it was harder). I just felt I couldn't hide it.

I showed him lots of Bald lady pictures. I had my hair cut short, and when it started to fallout I got him to Hoover the loose bits off my head. It was quite funny! Then when the time came, he watched while my DH shaved my head, and he brushed my wigs to get them ready.

I honestly think it helped him.

The very best of luck to you I hope many ladies read you post because attitude is everything.I remember so many people saying to me oh your great so positive but to me there was no other way to be.After my surgery and imediate reconstruction and then chemo I came out the other side and just got on with life Chemo finished July last year.

One and a half years on I have just had the mamogram on the other boob and all is clear but the ten days waiting for the results have been HELL.
Take care and keep checking in on here the Ladies are full of great information straight from the horses mouth so to speak .

[color=#8000BF:l3qpes1r]Its great to hear things have gone so well for you ceedee....thats what I need to hear nearly set now....in Beaumont yesterday, again today and finally for my surgery tomorrow.....looking forward to finding out today what is decided as the best plan for me, to do reconstruction now or later. At last I will know. Exhausted is an understatement at the moment. Its all rush, rush but I've been told by the medical social worker this is the worst bit for all that as after my surgery everything slows down a little and is more planned. Just seems to be appointment after appointment, day after day and in the middle of that trying to process the actual fact that I now have breast cancer. But on a positive note having lovely 'moments' with my family and children and doing things I would normally put off or say I'll do that when I have more time....its amazing how simple it is to order a chinese, sit down and eat it listening to a phone in on a radio station breaking your heart laughing ...not that hard at all really. So next time I'm chatting I will be post op and home. take care everyone on this journey. [/color:l3qpes1r]

Best of luck with the op. I felt great relief when it was over. I just had first chemo today.

Best of look with your surgery. Best thing about the whirlwind of appointments is it gives you something to focus on and shows you you are doing your very best to beat this. Keep up the good spirits. Thinking of you and praying for you tomorrow. Madge x.

[color=#800080:3drrqxgc]Thanks for the good wishes everyone and happy to say I am now post surgery. Had the bilateral mastectomy, axillary node clearance in my left and to say I also had the reconstruction done too. Wow..well I think that was enough for one surgical procedure. Its been a very long week one of pain, disbelief, sadness, happiness,ups and downs. Probably the most emotional week I have had in many many years. It was surreal going down for surgery.....still couldnt believe it was me but boy did I know it was me when I woke up. I won't lie....it was very painful....but then most surgery is. Thanks God for pain relief and I think I was just drugged up on pain relief for a few days to get through. I had surgery on Thursday, meant to be home Monday but was very sick due to medications but when they changed came home on Tuesday. And the docs were right....my appetite improved slowly and my mental health and emotions improved so much too, just by being home. Typing away here and my left arm is very dodgy looking....I didn't appreciate the effects of the axillary node clearance surgery and my left arm is not straigtening at all and has a bend in it along with strange sensations but again, it was big surgery and its only early days yet....but I'm still using it and typing

How do I feel? Well relieved the cancer tumours are now out of my body. Not as overwhelmed by the 'breast reduction' as I thought I would be...I went from an e cup to a/b cup with reconstruction but the main thing is I had lots of skin to work with being larger breasted and so its all my own breast skin that was used along with an implant for the reconstruction.....feel lucky to have the opportunity to do it this way. But getting used to my 'new' body but the physical side is not so important right now as the emotional feeling of the breast with the cancer is now gone. My surgeon asked me was I okay with the size and I honestly said its the least of my worries but he kindly said if it is something that bothers me in the future to talk to him about it. But having been a 'larger lady' I'm appreciating the benefits and light feeling of now being 'smaller'.

So I'm recovering at home, had a visit in the outpatients clinic in Beaumont yesterday and all going well. Another 2 appointments next week in the same clinic and then hopefully 3wks recovery until chemo starts. Its amazing how your barely out of one procedure and your planning the next stage immediately.

I think I totally underestimated just how big the surgery was and was very hard on myself thinking why am I so tired all the time. But having spoke to my surgeon he said its so normal after a long surgery under general anesthetic. So its a case of getting used to feeling tired and giving up control of the cleaning, cooking, ironing etc.etc. all those things Im struggling to do and just looking after my body and letting it heal. Its amazing how much I miss the very things I moaned about only a few weeks ago. My biggest miss has to be the kids jumping all over me and big hugs and kisses as I'm so sore on top and have a drain in etc. But we have our ways and my little lad puts his head on my knee for a hug now.

So 9 days after surgery and doing okay. [/color:3drrqxgc]

So pleased to hear that you are out the other side. Well done and swift healing. Great that recon could be done at the time of deconstruction. Rest and let people take care of you so that you are fit (or as fit as you can be for the chemo as it can be tough!)

Best wishes to you. Dane