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I filled out the form for the seminar in croke park on the 18th of sept. It looks like it might be good. Its a pity though that you can only pick one seminar for the morning and one for the afternoon. I found it ery hard to choose....lol It looks like it could be a great day out!

Hi everyone, I need tips, help, advice on the following: I was diagnosed with BC four years ago (2006) at age 36. After treatment I found out I had a BrCa2 mutation. This explained to me WHY I had gotten BC so young - it gives you a lifetime risk of approx 85% for BC and approx 25% for ovarian cancer. My mother, her only sister, their mother and their maternal grandmother (my great, grandmother) all died in their 50s from BC. Since my BrCa discovery, others in my family have tested. My sister and my cousin have so far been the only others to positive for it but BOTH have since been dx'd with Breast Cancer. I tell you all this to show just HOW high the risk is in our family (currently seems like 100%, not 85!!). Because of our very high risk, we are able to have preventative surgery to reduce our it. For the ovarian risk, this involves removing the ovaries and fallopian tubes (and sometimes the womb as well). For the BC risk, this involves a bilateral mastectomy. Because my original breast cancer was Oestrogen receptor positive, I chose to have the oophorectomy (tubes and ovaries removed) in April 2008. I eventually decided last year to have the double mastectomy with implant reconstruction and was put on a waiting list. I got called last wk and am now due to have it done next wk or the wk after. I will be in the hospital for a week and then will have limited mobility (mainly arms) for another 3-4 wks. I am a single mum with one (almost) 6 year old son. I have no living parents, aunts, etc who can help out. My main source of support is my sister who will be unavailable because she is in the middle of her chemo. I have decided to go ahead regardless of this problem because I have been waiting for so long. I'm going to set up the house before i go in to hospital so that I don't have to stretch to reach plates, etc. I have told Kevin that he will have to get himself dressed, etc in the mornings and evenings. I will make up dinners in advance and freeze them so we've something to eat. I have transport sorted for getting Kevin to school. I will rest every day when he is gone. I've accepted that there will probably be a lot of Xbox, DVDs and rubbish for the next few wks. Can you all wrack your brains and think of other stuff I might need to prepare for? I am certain there are lots of things I am missing and I need to get it all sorted before I go in. Many thanks, Flo.

Good morning ladies. And thanks Roxann, Hugs and Flo for your encouraging replies. I have been very busy since, setting up a support system for myself, including being back on this site. Your letters really help. Roxann, I got the book The Secret and have been reading it and working really hard at being in the present and thinking positive all the time and visualising. I also went to ARC house on the S.C.Road and did the relaxation yesterday. And I'm going tomorrow as well for Mindfulness which is more intense I think. Eccles St is actually easier for me to get to so I may phone there this morning too. I'll be in the hospital on Friday to see the Radiotherapist and maybe someone from the psycho oncology team to assess me for counselling. And I found a talk on the net re letting go of fear - it was a buddist monk who told the story of Winnie the Pooh and his friend walking through a forest in a storm and the friend said, oh dear what is a tree falls and we are underneath it and Winnie said, what if a tree falls and we are not underneath it . . . It seems to me that the reality of everything has hit me at once - being bald and having only one boob! But I'm fighting here and thanks again for all your help. I hope you are all doing well. Stay positive. Loving thoughts to you all Elizabeth

Thanks RoxAnn and Hugs for your replies. and Hugs I hope you are feeling better now. What is next for you? And for you RoxAnn? I was at the hospital today to meet the Radiotherapist and he was a dote and made me feel better. He was so kind. I also spoke to the Social Worker so she could assess me re counselling and even talking to her made me feel better too. Today is a good day and I give thanks for it. Love to all Elizabeth

Hi, Would anyone know of a Surgeon that does an Endoscopic Latissimus Dorsi Flap operation in Dublin? Thanks Summer

Hi, A query. Has anyone had major problems whilst taking Femara. I have been on it for 6 months and don,t know how I am going to cope for another 4 years. Joint pain, palpitations, high cholesterol have all happened to me since starting the treatment. I have been told to come off it now for two weeks and it is like going on holiday for my body. Is there anyone else out there experiencing the same problems? I would love to know. Thank you. Pippa

Looking for some info from those of you who’ve had reconstruction with expanders/implant. I had a mastectomy (right) in Sep 08 with delayed reconstruction. I was in such shock to have been diagnosed with BC that I just wanted it out, do whatever post op treatment was necessary and then consider reconstruction. So in Mar09, I had the tissue expander inserted and exchanged in Sep 09. All of this was done in the US. But now I’m back in Ireland and have to get the rest of the reconstruction done here. I’ve had one appt with the surgeon already and he’s going to replace the implant. I have a round one (the norm in the US) whereas he will replace I with a tear drop shape one which is more anatomically similar. There are a couple of reasons for replacing, one being that there is some internal scar tissue causing a double bubble effect. Another appt tomorrow and surgery scheduled for Nov I’m not sure what to expect as I’ve never been in hospital here so would appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been through this. Also, did you go ahead and get the nipple and tattoo? Thanks in advance

Just wondering how many of you changed your diet after your diagnosis? I'm veering more and more towards the Raw Diet. The more I read about it, the more I wonder if our diet is playing a major role in developing breast cancer. I've began juicing a lot and am looking at getting cleaner water into my house aswell. Any input would be great. Thanks Summer

Hello ladies. Just a quick note to say i had my first counselling session yesterday and I'm a new woman. I would recommend it for any of us. The counsellor was a nurse who had worked in a breast clinic and then she left and trained as a psychotherapist so I really trusted her and found everything she said to be of great help. I will be going for one more session after my radiotherapy which should be starting in a week or two. All the best and blessings to everyone. Elizabeth

Hi I had a LC flap reconstruction done in April 2009 . I have had major problems since with the donor site with pain/ discomfort . Has anyone else had problems like this or is it just me ????? P