Title: A Lumpectomy Or Mastectomy: Personal Story

What have been some of the key things you have struggled with in the aftermath of your lumpectomy or mastectomy?

Dealing with extended family visits in the first week post-surgery - I should have said no, because I needed more recovery time psychologically as well as physically; the diagnosis and surgery whirlwind takes its toll.

Accepting the immediate impact of diagnosis and treatment on my work life - stopping and slowing down were not things I wanted to accept in the early days; dealing with a borderline HER2 result and the time taken for it to be resolved was very difficult.

Daunting prospect of 10 years on endocrine treatment with shifting side effects and the impacts of this and returning to pre-cancer work situation - managing reasonable adjustments immediate and long term

What would you want others to know about your journey?

I self detected a lump while on holiday in Australia, sorted diagnostics in Australia - GP, private diagnostics (mammogram and ultrasound, biopsy and pathology), GP and consultant. Then arranged for information to come back to my GP and hospital referal in the U.K. to limit time between diagnosis and surgery. Travel insurance paid for diagnostics in Australia, keep all your receipts and evidence. 

For me it helped to be open about my diagnosis and treatment phases with family, friends and work colleagues -- but this took a week or two before I was ready to do it.

Talking to an experienced GP with insight helped me a lot, accepting that life would change for 3-6 months or 6-12 months depending on treatment regimes and longer term for treatment and follow-up, 5-10 years.

day by day and I kept a time line of events from day 1, including a forward planner for treatments - being organised helped manage the upheaval. 

 If you could give advice to someone newly diagnosed with breast cancer, what would you tell them?

Care teams have been very supportive and ask as many questions as you can / need to!

The official literature is good and helps you to understand the processes, to be prepared, to manage your and other people's expectations. 

Talk to other people undergoing treatment or those that have previously been through the steps that you are taking - while everyone's recovery is different, it helps to know and hear other people's experiences.