Breast Cancer & survivors

[Allicat]

Hi Frangipani, My final chemo is next week and I will be on Herceptin for a year and Tamoxifen and Triptorelin for 5 years. Are you taking Tamoxifen? Is there a hole left in your side when they take the drain out? Or is it just a tiny mark like the chemo needle leaves? I feel scared about how I will cope with going to hospital for the operation knowing that when I wake up afterwards there won't be a nipple. The right side already had a lumpectomy so doesn't have much feeling in it now - I think that helps me not feel too bad about having an implant instead of a real breast so it's mainly the loss of the nipple that I find a bit creepy. Sometimes it seems like it's not a big deal and sometimes it just seems terrible. I feel encouraged that things are going so well for you. Good luck with the remainder of your treatment. Thanks, Alli

[frangipani]

Alli * wonderful news. looks like you are on your way to recovery.It sounds like you are positive and dont worry about the nipples. You are alive and it doesnt matter. you can always put in an artificial one or even have one tattooed! Trust me you will be fine. regarding the drains. at the beginning I felt terrible about them. Then I started saying to myself that they were mine and the inside of my body was crying for the sudden loss. Each day it became less and more clear until finally my PC just pulled it out and put a bandage over it. NO. DEFINATELY NO HOLE but a tiny scar which depending on your skin, mine is disappearing after 2 months. I hope i am giving you some relief. I am only telling you honestly how and what i am going thru. I wish you all the best. Oh, and one more thing. Try meditation if you hav'nt already.....its great. frangipani.

[ellie]

Well, I guess I call myself a survivor now - and so happy to be in that group. However, I sometimes feel I haven't had Cancer - it all happened pretty fast, and thankfully I have needed no further treatment at all after the mastectomy. Sentinel node was clear - so that was just great news. I was fitted for a prothesis this week, and don't think I will have any problems coping with that. So apart from missing my right breast - I guess I am back to normal and find it hard to believe it all happened sometimes. However, I do feel weepy still fairly often, the smallest thing can set me off - especially people being very kind! Isn't that stupid!!! I can cope with everything, having physio because of a few probs with right arm, getting used to seeing me in the shower etc, but do something nice for me and it's waterworks!! I guess this will pass, and I just thank my lucky stars I had a relatively easy time of it all. Love to everyone out there still undergoing treatment and other probs.

[Allicat]

Hi Ellie, I cry whenever people are kind to me too. It is quite frustrating sometimes when I want to have a sensible conversation but the other person says something nice & I start to cry instead. I still get a surprise sometimes when I see a cancer pamphlet or medicine lying on my couch - why do I have that? it's for cancer patients, not for me! Oh yeah, I am a cancer patient. I have been thinking about how strange it will be after my treatment is all over and life will just continue on. I am obviously looking forward to that but it seems a little overwhelming as well - I guess that's the stage you're at now. I hope everything goes ok with your arm & prosthesis. Allicat