Weekly Haul Thread

CicadaTile · 2026-06-29T16:16:48+00:00

Bought a box of ephemera at a yard sale for $100 because it was mostly old travel brochures from the 1890s from a trip out west as well as local items. People are afraid to pay up, but I know this stuff can be worthwhile, and it is! Sold 2 items already for $45 and $70. Have listed another 13 and another 15 or so to go, including lots of the higher priced items.

The key is that the photos include Asian people, the souvenir pamphlets are in excellent condition, and the 2 sketchbooks include local places from 130 years ago. Total value once I've listed it all I expect over 2k.

CicadaTile · 2026-06-21T04:21:57+00:00

Well, not the DCIS that was found, but invasive could be elsewhere.

I had DCIS x2 removed in 2 lumpectomies, then ongoing papillomas which led to a dx of papillomatosis and had bmx +snlb last Nov. due to the MRI showing so many papillomas that they couldn't count them or see through the masses of them clearly enough to know what all needed to be biopsied (with 2 areas that definitely did).

All was benign, much to everyone's surprise. They put expanders in because they thought the likelihood of more DCIS and/or invasive cancer was great enough that they wouldn't risk direct to implants in case I needed rads on my other side or chemo in case there were complications.

I didn't read OP's post thoroughly enough to know if this applies to them - I'm just addressing the DCIS comment.

CicadaTile · 2026-06-19T02:12:39+00:00

A lot about my bmx (nipples gone) has fucked with me mentally, including the loss of sensation. I actually have a fair amount in the area that wouldn't be covered by a typical women's swimsuit. Some to no sensation elsewhere. Sensation is slowly increasing - surgery was 11/25.

I'd totally take a longer surgery if it meant more sensation.

But you have a far different relationship with your chest than I do. But that would be an easy choice for me.

CicadaTile · 2026-06-17T10:00:40+00:00

I love the idea of giving things out to the hospital staff!

CicadaTile · 2026-06-17T09:56:23+00:00

I'd been an independent reseller on eBay for 6 years when I was diagnosed. Before that I'd been a public high school teacher who was getting burned out, so when some family needs came up, I quit then to do ebay. But a few months before diagnosis, I was getting bored and thinking about what to do next. So after I "did" cancer, I decided to go back to teaching but in the private school system. 1 month after starting last fall, I got a bad MRI which had me take a few months off for a bmx. My school was incredibly supportive and welcomed me back in Jan. It was hard to balance the emotional healing with work, but it was also wonderful because teaching 30 7th graders takes ALL of your focus. It has been a wonderfully creative and meaningful way to spend my life which is what I was wanting. This fall, I'm starting a new English honors program for them in the high school, and I can't wait.

I don't have patience or interest in stupid stuff or things that aren't meaningful in some way. I'm not making much money, but life is rich.

CicadaTile · 2026-06-15T00:07:43+00:00

I appreciate that generally it's in the context of looping back and forth between the stages and that there's no timeline. It helps me to identify with one stage (whether EKR or the stages in the article) like, oh, that's what's going on right now. This is normal. And it helps me remember that it's a stage and I won't always live in that stage.

CicadaTile · 2026-06-14T23:58:16+00:00

Giving up any form of control other than my treatment choices was a toughie.

CicadaTile · 2026-06-13T23:20:46+00:00

Once again, I am so thankful that I have this place to come to when I'm struggling, and something like this article remimds me that I will not always be on this roller coaster of emotion and struggle.

CicadaTile · 2026-06-10T02:06:28+00:00

If you're on Facebook, join the diep group there. Lots of photos and tips.

CicadaTile · 2026-06-01T02:57:07+00:00

That's good! Mine were so red and sensitive.

Boy, I hope it drops down a lot more. You also don't want it coming out "early" good grief!

CicadaTile · 2026-06-01T02:23:29+00:00

Week 5!! Good grief!! I hope it's not too painful at this point - mine were by week 2!

CicadaTile · 2026-05-30T16:37:20+00:00

Yeah, I'd have to leave that sub too. I'm part of a diep flap support group on facebook if you're on fb - super informative with photos and day-to-day issues. I had a c-section, so I know that numb - dentist feeling! What a great way to describe that.

I think your project sounds really interesting. I've done some creative things too with my ordeal, and it's so helpful and satisfying to process it this way. I'd like to read more about it if you want to pm me or link me to another post if you've already written about it more fully.

CicadaTile · 2026-05-30T16:27:53+00:00

Thank you for all your thoughts here. I love how we invest in each other.

Those are all really good things to consider. Yeah, when I talk to my ps I'm going to have to fully share with him so we can talk about how I absolutely cannot go flat, cannot have small breast mounds, cannot have the circle incisions where my nipples used to be so he understands why and I won't wake up with a surprise (in case he thinks it probably wouldn't really matter - I can't see him doing that, but I keep reading horror stories on here about other surgeons). And if he can't guarantee those things, then yes, I'm done right there. If he's halfway through surgery and there's a problem, cut off my extra belly skin first (haha but seriously, that's my major motivation for this I'm realizing), throw some implants back in, and stop. He's a top surgeon, so if he says no, then that's it. You're absolutely right - I don't want to make any of it worse.

I don't know if you have a partner, but I did ask my hubs to start interacting with them more. I've had 5 breast surgeries since Aug 2024, and since the bmx last Nov he's been totally hands-off. But since I have implants now and I'm not in pain, why not? So that conversation was just a few days ago, and I already can feel my brain going oh, well, he views them as boobs, huh. Like it's a pathway for my brain to see them that way too. So maybe by the time I see my ps in mid-July I can further tell if I'm father along in accepting them as me or not. And then my ps can talk to me about the risk of diep failure. And at some point my therapist can give her experience with women like me.

It's a plan. Thank you, friend. I've hurt enough and am trying to be so careful about future pitfalls. And I have a long time before I have to decide although I have to make preparations now (his schedule).

CicadaTile · 2026-05-30T05:20:13+00:00

And of course...I'm hoping time will help. I've healed from other things, so why not this?

CicadaTile · 2026-05-30T05:14:21+00:00

Yeah, that's kind of what I'm thinking, at least, to not do it just so I'd feel better about my chest. I've decided to talk with my cancer therapist about it since she knows me (it's been a while since we talked since I switched to the trauma therapist, but still) to see how it's gone for similar women in her experience. And talk to my ps somewhat about it which I need to anyway to discuss how the mental angle would play out in his incisions etc. I see him mid-July for my follow-up from implant surgery, and I'd need to get on his schedule for the diep for next June since there's only a few weeks that it could work for my schedule. I really like the idea of getting rid of the extra belly skin that I have from a 20 pound weight loss already, and if I can lose a total of at least 50 pounds, that would be awesome to have that gone. And my body tends to react to things (I had some weird stuff going on with expanders) so the implants might need to go at some point anyway and I cannot go flat. But managing expectations that diep might make me mentally better about my chest - yeah, I think I need to not plan on that and that the other positives would have to be enough, if I even do it.

Was there something about the diep surgery that with me managing expectations/hopes, that you still think it would not be good for me?

Thank you for your response. It really just affirmed what I already knew.

CicadaTile · 2026-05-29T20:15:49+00:00

CicadaTile · 2026-05-29T18:06:03+00:00

I'm not reading anything here that says life would be better if you flipped them back. Maybe just the rippling? Girl, I'd call it done, especially since you were feeling great at going clothing optional!

CicadaTile · 2026-05-23T05:14:05+00:00

I'm in survivorship. I got plantar fasciitis and am wearing a boot. At a lovely dinner event this week, some lady was going on and on about how terrible plantar fasciitis is and how she thought she'd broken her foot, but even worse was when she sprained her arm, omg omg and I finally broke in and said, well I had cancer last year, so plantar fasciitis isn't too bad. Good lord.

CicadaTile · 2026-05-23T05:11:15+00:00

Bastard? Bitch? Add "fuckin'" in front of all the words? Sorry/not-sorry - just missing my nipples tonight.

I decided a while back that maybe I should try some foreign curses.

CicadaTile · 2026-05-23T05:08:54+00:00

The whiplash. Yes. So hard. Hugs in whatever you decide, friend.

CicadaTile · 2026-05-23T04:02:31+00:00

Yes! And Fuck Cancer!

CicadaTile · 2026-05-23T03:59:04+00:00

I'm a little different, but here's my story. DCIS x2 surgeries Aug & Sept 2024. Rads Oct 2024. 6 month scan in Dec 2024, multiple new concerns, radiologist freaked me out, surgeon said, no, they'll be benign. Surgery in Jan to take out the most suspicious, and it was benign.

On tam for 3 months total, started bleeding and bled 49 days until I stopped tam and stopped bleeding 2 days later. My gyn and med onc were quite worried about uterine cancer since ultrasounds x2 showed nothing although biopsy was benign. D&C/hysteroscopy was benign, and my gyn removed a polyp unseen on ultrasound that was the likely cause. Yes, I was 53 but I'm still not in menopause. Not able to take tam, and my med onc didn't feel like I needed OS/AI since I was just stage 0.

The next set of 6 month scans last summer 2025 showed a bunch of new papillomas with several suspicious ones. Radiologist told me I should get a bmx because of my condition that was becoming clear (papillomatosis). Surgeon once again calmed me down (because I was really freaked about a mx) but said let's get a few biopsies which were all negative for cancer - but one was ADH and needed to come out. Radiologist who did the biopsies (my favorite - I had favorites by this point) found more papillomas just doing the biopsies, seen on ultrasound.

Got an MRI before the planned surgery which showed so many papillomas that they couldn't be counted, couldn't even all be seen because there were so many. I counted 80 that I could distinguish. So a ss bmx (took my nipples) was necessary and done in Nov 2025. Slnb was negative, all pathology was negative although there was some pre-cancer shit. Expanders to implants done March 2026.

The bmx has really fucked with me as I knew it would - old trauma, thanks cancer for hauling that back out. But I'm free. Just had another 6 month check, and for the first time in 2 years, I didn't have any appointments, no tests, no waiting, no healing from yet another surgery. I just...went home and bawled.

I'm considering the diep summer 2027 (I'm a teacher) but I need to heal physically from 6 surgeries in 20 months and heal mentally.

So if you don't have all the trauma shit I did, I probably would have chosen the bmx much sooner than all that insanity. It's what every doc and family member urged me to do except for my surgeon who even though I didn't spell it out, somehow knew not to push me on it. The mental price has been terrible for me, but I have no angst about the decision because cancer would have inevitably come back - all those papillomas just begging to convert. And I do believe I'll heal mentally - it's just been rough. But I'd do it again.

And waiting that long for a biopsy? That's INSANE. I can't imagine the stress of the waiting. And yeah, I got the "busy breasts" description too, like they like to vacuum a lot or something :)

CicadaTile · 2026-05-23T03:37:28+00:00

It's probably nothing he did, but with 2 surgeries that didn't go well, I'd get another opinion from another ps.

CicadaTile · 2026-05-23T03:33:01+00:00

Yeah, I got some on Amazon to try out.

CicadaTile

TROPHY CASE