1st meeting

Hi Birdie22, I don't jump in here so often now because I am 3 years along from when I had my operation (and doing fine), but I noticed you hadn't had a reply yet. I was 56 at diagnosis and there are some ladies here who were, like you, quite a bit younger.  I will try to tag Gbear here as she is more your age than mine.  Well done for starting your notebook, I found it was so valuable to have a list of my notes and questions at each appointment.

I had keyhole surgery and like you I am slender.  However for a while after the surgery my tummy was quite swollen, it was temporary, but it did go on for a few months.  Normally that would have bothered me but at the time it seemed a small price to pay for getting the cancer out.  I did eventually return to my normal shape and size, but make sure you have some comfy stretchy clothes to see you through the early days.

Do you have someone at home to help you while you recover from surgery?

Oh dear my attempt to "tag" Gbear above didn't work... perhaps they have changed how you do it now.  Hopefully she will see the post anyway.

Your age, weight and stage of cancer should all work well for you. Hopefully you will have a quick recovery once your surgery is done. Hope you don’t have too long to wait for a date x

Hello LittleRunner,

Yes the notebook has been great. I've plotted each date of appointments that I have had so far and what was done. More so for me as I'm not very good at remembering dates when recalling things.

I also wondered about the swelling so opted for M&S finest Bridget Jones pants!

Yes my other half is around to help before and after but I don't envisage I will be up to much anyway.

Xx

Hello Galanthophile, 

I Hope it does go in my favour too and that recovery is quick.

I now have a date at the beginning  of Dec, hopefully no delays with the lockdown...fingers crossed.

Lots to do before now and then as we need to self isolate for two weeks before too x

Hello ,

welcome to our wonderful, supportive corner of the community, the ladies here are fantastic really helpful and friendly and very supportive l

i am impressed that you were armed with a notebook with questions, its such a simple way of making what is already a difficult and stressful time just that bit more bearable. I ve not been on site much recently as honestly i ‘ve had a few very difficult times to deal with including losing a few friends one being just this last weekend and i am having a few difficulties collecting my thoughts together but no worry to you. I am sorry i missed this post and i will try and help you where i can, being near age group i have a good understanding of where you find yourself now.

so hears something for you to know i was diagnosed in 2017 age 37 well it was just before my 38th birthday so like you i pretty much thought well what a birthday present to get, certainly one for the unwanted pile. I had a total hysterectomy with my ovaries, tubes and cervix all removed, i was staged 1a grade 2 but I didn’t need any extra treatment after my surgery which was do half and half. I say that because it should of been keyhole but because i had a bulky womb with the cancer mass plus fibroids it was decided that they would cut into my bellybutton and remove it all in a nice little baggy ( as my consultant put it I did laugh). I hadn’t had children before and i have also been told that HRT isn’t really an ideal option and maybe look at some alternatives. I found up to now the hot sweats haven’t been too bad, i have some underlying health issues too which have complicated things but other then that my last check up showed i was still cancer free.  

Hopefully you will not be waiting too long for an op date, i too had to bulk up for the op as i had lost a lot of weight and had a powered drink the day before which was a glucose drink i think it’s possible its the same as what you have as its part of the advanced recovery program. The bread and butter pudding and custard sounds really nice!

so there is lots of virtual hugs to go around here and because of the various ladies with different stages and treatment there is lots of combined knowledge and experience to share.

sending you a big bear hug.

Hello GBear, 

Thankyou for your reply and lovely post.

I am sorry to hear of your recent loss and in the current climate it is so strange too.

I see that you were also on the younger side too then. I read something today that says the cancer type I have start as precancerous cells about 10/12 years before they turn...which would make me late 20s early 30s. 

I still have they why though? What has made my cells change...toxicity to something....stress....diet....

It seems that the more you want to live healthy,  eat a good diet,  don't smoke seems to not even come into play.

Anyways...It's been a long strange day with emotions...early night with a book xx

And again...thanks.