Wondering if I'm taking the right path...

Hi honey ,my name is Sandy .
I have small cell lung cell cancer on 1 lung but also I have cancer in my lyph nodes between Lungs . It was discovered this yr in March . I have been thu 33 radiation treatments and a couple chemo earlier . Have been put on hold on chemo for 6 wks , because my platelets are running low , and blood is wacko !! It is a very long road . Lot of wear and tear on you !! Side affects for me are , lost some hair , hair is growing back now , only it is all white , eyebrows, & eyelids ! lost all the hair in my nose , running nose all the time ! Pigmentation on skin ,in large areas is turning brown . Very tired all the time ! Want a break from it all so very very much . I do wish you the best honey . Big Hug Sandy

@copingatroun2 I had two mastectomies, partly to avoid radiation and its side effects. I went "flat" happily. It sounds like you might have more of a feeling of loss with that surgery. I like not having to worry as much (cancer could still spread of course), clothes are actually easier. But I did not mind losing my breasts.

After years of precancerous findings in biopsy and a lumpectomy back in 2010 - again only precancerous cells found - cancer was finally found in one breast cancer in 2022. I asked about a double mastectomy at that time despite the lack of family history mostly because I was so tired of “looking over my shoulder”. I dreaded every mammo and find the biopsies literally panic-inducing. I just wanted an end to the stress, but I was told at that time that that route was very aggressive and unnecessary. They were very confident that a lumpectomy followed by radiation would be enough, so that’s what I did.
The following year cancer was found again, this time in the other breast. I advocated for a double mastectomy and got no argument that time. It has been a tough year. I did decide to get reconstruction; I should be done with the entire process by end of this year. I’m glad I did it but it had been physically, financially, and emotionally taxing to say the least. Even though I did get reconstruction I don’t feel at home in my new body yet. I know I have so much to be grateful for but this was very difficult. It’s a hard choice - actually a series of difficult choices. I hope you can make the decision that’s right for you soon so you can move through it and finally past it.

ugh typo in user name in previous post- found my glasses!

@copingatround2 I had two mastectomies, partly to avoid radiation and its side effects. I went "flat" happily. It sounds like you might have more of a feeling of loss with that surgery. I like not having to worry as much (cancer could still spread of course), clothes are actually easier. But I did not mind losing my breasts.

Hi, totally understand where you are coming from. I was diagnosed with DCIS right breast in Feb. Had a lumpectomy, found a little invasive and did not have clear margins. Second lumpectomy, still did not get clear margins… third lumpectomy found LCIS and still DCIS in margins!
So now I’m scheduled for double mastectomy in October, no reconstruction. I just want to be done and not have this on my mind anymore! My surgeon says chance of recurrence will go down to about 2%.
Go with your gut!! 💕

Thank you for sharing, Sandy. I wish you all the best on your journey. I hope there is some peace for you along the way.

Thank you for sharing. May I ask you a few questions? Like, what types of cancer were found? Since you said you do not feel at home in your new body yet, what does it actually feel like right now? What made you choose reconstruction?

Thank you for sharing. I am also concerned about what I hear about the radiation and the side effects; another reason I was considering the mastectomy. My wife thinks I would be more concerned with the loss also. But at that point, there's no turning back. I think I just want to do all that I can before I get to that point. And then I'll just deal. Because, what else can you do? I'm sure some days will be better than others. They're already an endless roller coaster...

Thank you for sharing. Wow. I don't know if I have another lumpectomy in me right now. I definitely get the desire to not have it on your mind anymore. That's what a couple of acquaintances said their motivation was for the mastectomy.
Hopefully I'm on the right path to never having to do it again. I wish you all the best in your journey.

@copingatround2 - I was dx with BC then it was determined to be TNBC then they discovered I am also BRCA 2+. No BC family history. I was 68 when dx - high recurrence rate of TNBC recurring in other breast. I determined at my age and with 3 new grandbabies I didn't want to spend in appointments - so I threw everything at it. First chemo - no major side effects, my curly hair got matted - so shaved my head. Then bilateral - didn't need them and didn't want to constantly worry about other breast getting a lump - so get rid of them didn't really need them any more. Lastly didn't have clear margins from lymph node BC surgery, so I did radiation. I must say - I consider myself one of the luck ones. I faired really well through all my treatments - I worked through everything except the recovery from the bilateral. I researched side effects for each treatment then prepared myself of how I would handle each if they appeared. I was a little nauseous from chemo so kept candied ginger so I can eat small pieces or suck on it if the need arose. I was a little tired after treatment but did it at the end of the day on a Thursday, made sure work was lite for Friday, rested on Saturday and was bouncing back on Sunday to do again the next week. The hardest part about radiation was the time (45 min) to get there to be there for a total of about 10 minutes (dressing and treatment) to spend another 45 minutes to go back home. Again I did as much as I could at the end of the day so I could rest overnight. I always looked at my BC as a "condition" that could be treated and managed - I may never be "cured" but I will be in remission and will just need to be monitored for a while. You will find the path that is right for you. Everyone's journey is different.