The radiation was ok. It's the recovery that is still difficult. I was 62 when I had the lumpectomy and lymph glands removed.  Went through 16 sessions of daily radiation and thought it was over. I was told there could be a sunburn like sideffects but I'm still coping with swelling, and redness. Mammogram and ultra sound all showed nothing. Dr. confirmed it wasn't any more cancer and that my deformed breast was from the radiation and takes time to heal. It's been 8 months now it's not changing. It was a very small lump removed and never expected my whole breast to be so deformed. Does anyone else have this problem?  ... View more

Best wishes for a safe, happy, healthy 2011 to you. ... View more

Hi Willow, So glad you wrote and told us you are home and getting some help. Glad to hear the op might not be neccessary as well. People do care if you give them a chance. Some dont know how, and some just wait for you to reach out to them. We have to ask first. Counselling lines are there for us. Take care and as craftyone says, think of yourself first and what you want, thats not being selfish. And share here anytime. I hope your days get better. Cheers Vicki ... View more

Yes, ring 131120. Fully trained staff on that number and a friendly ear too. I do volunteer work for our local cancercare centre, and that is one thing that was in our training....call 131120 If you find that they can't help you, then they can refer you to someone that can. There is a follow up service with them too. Good luck ... View more

Hello Willow, Have you tried calling the helpline 131120? They have trained staff on that line and are there 5 days a week from 9:00am. I was stressing myself out before I had my first colonscopy, had a good cry over the phone to them and then they asked for my phone number. A few weeks later, when everything settled down, just out of the blue I received a phone call back from them to make sure that I was ok. I also do volunteer work at our local cancercare centre and always recommend to patients and even carers to call that number. It is good to know that you are anonymous with them too. They will ask your name, so they can call you by your name while talking to you. Never think that you are whinging while on here either. We all understand what you are going through. ... View more

Willow - lots of care and healing thoughts to you. Isn't it awful being hospital!! It always makes me alittle scared too. I hope you're home soon in your own space, and can soon look back on this rough patch and feel glad it's over! I'm impressed that you can blog on your iphone (I don't have one but you've inspired me!) Lots of deep breaths and gentle thoughts - take care. Zen ... View more

Great words Willow, thanks, One day at a time and enjoy what we have now. ... View more

I have been reading your blogs Willow and I must say that your story sounds to me like major discrimination under the equal opportunity Act and very familiar!!!! Why dont you leave that damm job if your doing admin roles now and not being treated equally?, take time for yourself, get some advice, some professional help. You work to live now; not live to work. I can understand your pain in this because i have seen it with my Mum. She was discriminated at work after her operation for throat cancer for a total of 7 months recently by a very mean mean woman, upon return to work she, like you, was made to feel incompetent after doing so much, 8 years of work and a promotion to supervisor -respect was hard for her to obtain within the place! They suddently assumed she had changed, wasnt competent anymore and they were becoming annoyed that she was taking so much time off! After never taking annual leave - only a week over Xmas each year! The story is very similiar to you. In the end, we are all just numbers and as harsh and injust as that sounds Willow its reality. Even though you demonstrated your loyalty and skills to the company and may have been irreplacable then by saving them a half mil, it sounds like your manager (whom is a pig) is looking at you like your a liability now; which by the way, i also would find highly offensive! If i were you, i would hold my head up high and get out of there before you lose your self esteem for good! If you cant escape due to financial commitments - start today, look for something else, call Centrelink - do some charity work??? My mum went down and was experiencing and still is experiencing the feelings that you described above; lonely, lost, desperate. Mum was unfairly dismissed on July 1 this year and consequently we are now taking legal action towards both the employer and client of the employer. Whilst my mum was happy to sit there and be treated like an idiot; i had to see the aftermath when she got home, the tears, the pain of being otrasised by her workers, being told i cant understand you on several occasions whilst the manager stormed off on her! ~ i stood up and said this isnt happening! My mum had throat cancer, and had her voice box removed. She also had breast cancer but has been clear for 7 years. The pain of being so successful, like you, then having to fight breast cancer and then being told you are no longer working at an efficient pace is a joke and makes me quite sick! I suggest you call fair work australia or the equal opportunity commission to get advice before you do anything, have you spoken to Human Resources about your unhappiness with the role and the behaviour that is making you feel the way you do by your manager? You sound like a person who finds joy in accomplishment and achievement, as i do and to have that snatched off you by someone who has been through testicular cancer especially is not only bad management, lack of integrity and morals but is total inconsiderate and ignorant. He must believe because he got over it and dealt with it, then returned to work that everyone can! Funny how ignorant managers can be. You described your mother as diminishing, again something i can relate to as i watched my grandmother slowing dissapear in a nursing home too, she passed away in April this year on Easter Sunday. That also was very difficult for Mum. I watched the guilt she felt and the hurt and anger every day until the end of nana's life. I wish you all the best, please know that there is and has been a woman who has gone and is still going through what you are. As im sure; many thousands of others are too. But to connect with just one of those thousands may help you to overcome this battle. My mother is on here to her name is "No Voice". All the best 🙂 ... View more

that frustrates me when i hear about work places being unsympathetic! my boss said to my face if u need time off have it.. then behind my back complained that i wasnt capable of supervising children because my mind is elsewhere and im taking to much time off... really annoys me! ... View more

Hi I hardly ever get on this site anymore so don't know when you wrote your msg. I am nearly three years post diagnosis and am feeling good. I used to worry all the time about a recurrence and about having Triple Negative cancer but these days I don't think about it nearly so much. I know quite a few people with breast cancer but none with TN. I will check here from time to time to see if you have sent a msg now that I know you are out there. 🙂 I hope you are doing ok now. The physcologist is a good idea - I saw one too and she really helped me to stay focused on what was important and to help me realise that I still had a lot of living to do. Good luck with your journey and if you feel the need to talk, ask questions or just vent, please write again. Take care, kind regards, Willow xo ... View more