Four months after suspicious mammogram, I can palpate the lump now.

Try to remain positive. I know how hard it is not to worry. But I remember reading somewhere if you worry about something and it never happens, you've worried in vain. If you worry about something that does happen, you've worried twice. And if you don't worry about something that does happen, you can spend all your energy in getting better. And, of course, if you never worry about something that never happens - that's the best scenario! Make sense?

Good luck with the surgery and everything that follows!

Thank you very much for your kind and helpful reply!

It’s a bit stressful, the waiting. I’m sure everyone here has experienced that stress and was relieved to have surgery.

That’s a long time to wait but don’t give in just yet. The worry, and I know it’s easier said than done, caused stress and stress caused cancer, so try and not worry. Best of luck 🇮🇪

Those that say cancer never hurts have not had cancer. Lol, although it is true many times there is no pain, mine was also on the chest wall and it was quite painful. Then when I had pain again in that area, the oncologist who was retiring (thankfully) said “then it can’t be the cancer because cancer isn’t painful”. Generalizations like this are unhelpful and lead to a ton of worry.
Rest assured, yes these tumors, even small ones can be painful, if they are sitting on a nerve or encompassing one, and there are too many nerves for them to always miss them. Mine was painful and I am 20 years, still here.
Yes, we have all waited and we have all worried, but try to breathe and distract yourself as much as possible as it gets closer, I know it gets harder.
What surgery are you having, lumpectomy, or mastectomy? Node dissection, sentinel, or axillary?

Thank you so much! I will try to be more patient. Just a little over one week to wait now.

It was definitely stress that caused this cancer, for me. ,

So avoiding stress is a smart move.

Thank you so very much! It’s a relief to know I’m not the only one with the achiness. It’s such a small tumor but it’s deep and maybe that location is one that causes more achiness.

I am so glad it’s been twenty years for you and you are still okay and recurrence free!

That gives me so much hope, thank you!

❤️🌹

You will be so relieved when surgery day arrives and you're finally moving forward to get rid of the cancer and be on the road to recovery. The constant waiting, testing, worrying, wondering is the worst part. I felt a lot of stress for the 3 months leading up to my surgery due to the unknowns, but felt totally relaxed the day I woke up for my double mastectomy. You'll do great!

Thank you so so much for this kind and helpful reply!

I will feel better once this is all over and done with and I can start the recovery process and other therapies.

Was it really rough to recover from the double mastectomies? Pain wise I mean?

I hope you never get a recurrence and live a long healthy and happy life.

Thank you again so so much!

@msandbreastcancerwarrior I gave more detail on another thread from you, but no, pain was not an issue for me with the double mastectomy. I know it's hard to keep track of all the conversations. No, the pain from mastectomies was not bad at all. The pain from having my ovaries and tubes out at the same time was unbearable. I would agree to have ten more mastectomies before I would agree to one more abdominal surgery. That's how big the difference in pain is for me. I remember you said you also had unbearable pain with abdominal surgery so I think that's why you're so worried about pain. That's why I was so worried, but it's just not the same. Apples and oranges. I believe you'll do great. Prayers for you. Zebra

Thank you so so much for your kind reply, Zebra! I will hope for the best and I am thinking the three days of numbness might get me through the worst of it anyway, pain wise.

I wonder how long it will take me to be healed enough that I can lift my arms enough to wash my own hair and wear sweaters that go over my head instead of button down things?

I’m hoping after the first week, I might be recovered enough to sit at my easel and paint, but I will play it by ear. Surely after two weeks I will have reached that point.

Thank you again so much for your help!

This is the first step in beating this cancer, so I’m going to get it done and do whatever else I need to do to stay alive!

Wishing you all the best, and no cancer ever again! ❤️🌹