Breast cancer diagnosis

Hello.  I was 51 and yes day surgery common.  My surgery 8 years ago ore Covid but my hubby was allowed to be with me before I went to theatre .  There were 3 other ladies in the ward and 2 were alone but nursing staff looked after them.  With hindsight if we'd all been alone we would have supported each other more.  

Lifting etc will depend on where your surgery is and if lymph nodes removed.  Mine was just a 1" scar top left quadrant of left breast .  I didn't have lymph nodes removed .  Just told to keep it supported yo prevent pulling in wound - I'm a 36G so breasts quite heavy,  

If you click on my name you'll see my diagnosis.  

Hi Webb21 , all good questions to ask, keep asking as I think it helps to be as prepared as possible. It’s one thing we can control at least a bit  during the rollercoaster of a cancer diagnosis.
Re surgery practicalities and post surgery lifting, do ask the breast clinic team about it as rules differ in different hospitals and mobility afterwards depends hugely on the size and location of the incision. In my case, I wasn’t allowed anyone with me even to go to the day surgery ward. This was before Covid but part of their infection prevention protocol. Also my incision was much bigger than I’d expected - the surgeon used one long incision to access the lump and the sentinel nodes so it was the length of my index finger plus knuckle. A previous lumpectomy for a benign lump was tiny in comparison. Re lifting, I couldn’t have lifted a toddler for quite a while afterwards but am much older so no small children. My job as a special needs teacher involved lots of moving and handling but I was off sick for 4 months so again plenty of healing time. Sorry if this sounds alarmist, I really don’t mean it to, but think better to know what to ask! In your favour you’re young and will heal much quicker I’m sure. And there are folk here who were back mucking out horses very soon after their ops! But now is the time to accept any help offered as you clearly have a busy life! And you may have a much smaller incision depending on where the lump is. 
Wishing you well and sending a big virtual hug your way, HFxx 

Thankyou carol

im having two or three lymph nodes removed too so I’ll expect my scar will be longer or two of them. I’m sure they will explain this in preop though.

looking like itl be a long recovery then with regards to picking up my boy

I will have a read yes Thankyou 

Thankyou for your reply it is very helpful to know as yes I will need to plan for the care of my kids.

I have a lot of willing helpers, just hate asking for help

My lump is luckily the same side as armpit so hoping the scar won’t be too long, I suppose I just need to look after myself now and put me first which I never do!

question do u remember your weeks before the op. Were you feeling tired and nauseous?

thankyou

rachel

Hi Webb21 , I felt all sorts of ‘not great’ in the build up to my op, at one point tummy ache and nausea so of course convinced it had already spread, then realised that I’d been having a lot of coconut products (milk, yoghurt, plus in cooking) because I’d got myself paranoid about soya (I use soya milk and yoghurt). Realised that coconut stuff is very high in fat, and as soon as I stopped having them all the stomach issues also stopped! I’m back on my soya products as have researched and been reassured that they’re good! It’s such a horrible limbo stage, I think our minds and bodies are in such a state of panic/ shock/ disbelief that all sorts of symptoms appear. My feeling is that they’re genuine symptoms but in response to the stress of diagnosis. Having said that, of course if you’re concerned then don’t hesitate to get it checked out. Definitely felt a mixture of super charged (trying to get stuff done at school before my op as didn’t know how long I’d be off) and totally exhausted. 
And absolutely definitely this is the time to try your best to put yourself first and accept help. I am hopeless at both but better than I was pre diagnosis as I’ve realised it’s necessary. Love and hugs, HFxx