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It does seem horrid. I chose to have radiotherapy instead of surgery - I had 2 nodes at mastectomy affected and there were probably more, but none showed up on scan. Perhaps thats why I could have radiotherapy. Both options have different challenges - so radiotherapy causes pain in chest wall and scar, can still get lymphoedema, but lower risk, both can cause cording - I don't know if one more than the other, my shoulder is stiff and my arm hurts on the radiotherapy side, I have more neuropathy on my radiotherapy side too, I get some shooting aches down my arm too which are nerve damage. 

I guess all I am trying to say is that radiotherapy has its side effects too. None are awful for me, but I have plenty of annoying niggles. Although more surgery is not nice either, it doesn't cause some of the radiotherapy issues. Its swings and roundabouts as to which has less/more side effects. Neither are perfect, but if surgery gets rid of your cancer it sounds like a win win in the end. Its just so hard to get your head around something else, something more when we have had enough of treatment. You can and will do what you need to - you just need time to adjust. You are just in shock right now.

Sending much love xx

It does seem horrid. I chose to have radiotherapy instead of surgery - I had 2 nodes at mastectomy affected and there were probably more, but none showed up on scan. Perhaps thats why I could have radiotherapy. Both options have different challenges - so radiotherapy causes pain in chest wall and scar, can still get lymphoedema, but lower risk, both can cause cording - I don't know if one more than the other, my shoulder is stiff and my arm hurts on the radiotherapy side, I have more neuropathy on my radiotherapy side too, I get some shooting aches down my arm too which are nerve damage. 

I guess all I am trying to say is that radiotherapy has its side effects too. None are awful for me, but I have plenty of annoying niggles. Although more surgery is not nice either, it doesn't cause some of the radiotherapy issues. Its swings and roundabouts as to which has less/more side effects. Neither are perfect, but if surgery gets rid of your cancer it sounds like a win win in the end. Its just so hard to get your head around something else, something more when we have had enough of treatment. You can and will do what you need to - you just need time to adjust. You are just in shock right now.

Sending much love xx

I too had same journey, had one node with cancer so had 2nd op and all nodes removed and was told technology hasn't been able to monitor nodes with cancer so the only way to check them is to remove all of them, mine all returned clear of cancer ,I too suffer from swelling under armpit and they may after op still want you to have radio to mop up any remaining cancer, I wish I had asked is that it before 2nd surgery but its done now .You will get through this, kind regards