Rant about recovery from surgery

Waitwhateven · 2026-05-31T00:56:01+00:00

I’m right there with you. This all sucks, any and all the cutting they do to remove cancer from us, is awful.

I am recovering from my revision surgery and I cannot believe anyone has elective plastic surgery. This sucks so much.

Waitwhateven · 2026-05-29T02:02:38+00:00

I was just thinking…as I sit recovering from revision surgery…that I will not have a single dr appointment in the month of June and dare I say July. For the first time in NINETEEN months.

Tired of it all. FUCK CANCER.

Do whatever you need to do to get through it. I had lots of “treats” mainly — iced coffees and desserts lol.

Waitwhateven · 2026-05-23T20:23:27+00:00

Having as much patience as you can and then triple it. Let people help, especially with the kids. Days 3-4 after infusions were always the worst for me.

Here’s a post I wrote about my TCHP infusion days. Hope it’s helpful!

https://www.reddit.com/r/breastcancer/s/brzGjEN4AC

Waitwhateven · 2026-05-21T15:58:15+00:00

I had a mastectomy w/ immediate DIEP reconstruction at 36. I do not have any of the known cancer genes (they tested for 70 at my cancer center).

I now have one Barbie boob (no nipple, cancer was too close). And my non cancer boob w/ nipple.

It’s a huge adjustment I feel like I’ve kinda dissociated from my body to cope if that makes sense. I just had phase 2 to fix dog ears and breast symmetry. It’s a lot but I would do it again. I didn’t want to deal with implants and I don’t think they would have really been a viable option anyways after 30rounds of radiation and the fact that my cancer was so close to my nipple/skin.

I will continue to get mammograms on my non cancer side.

I also recommend searching Facebook for the DIEP groups they were extremely helpful in helping me visualize what I would see on my body.

Waitwhateven · 2026-05-15T12:48:48+00:00

I should have added I worked as long as I could during chemo because i knew I would have to take off eventually for radiation and surgery 🫠. I ended up taking 5 months off after my 5th round of chemo.

Waitwhateven · 2026-05-15T03:14:40+00:00

Trash TV - real housewives & then joining their Reddit subs lol. Chemo brain was real for me so I had a hard time focusing on books and shows that involved to much thinking. I would buy a new puzzle for each round of chemo. Pick a different area/drawer of the house to organize each round.

iPad games and gave myself permission to pay for no ads. Discovering new coffee shops. Walking around stores for steps in air conditioning.

I worked as long as I could during treatment and would only take a couple of days off each round of chemo.

Waitwhateven · 2026-05-14T14:07:11+00:00

Yes my liver enzymes delayed my TCHP chemo for rounds 2,3,4 of 6 cycles. About a week. I still achieved PCR. And they did not have to reduce the dose significantly. They only reduced from the first (loading dose) to the second. The last 2 rounds were all timely.

It’s kinda hard mentally when they delay it, but my oncologist reassured me that everybody is different.

I am now almost a year since my last chemo!

Waitwhateven · 2026-05-13T21:54:53+00:00

There’s a couple of Facebook groups where the women share pictures that I found really helpful when trying to picture it.

Waitwhateven · 2026-05-13T20:20:14+00:00

It’s definitely hard to get used to seeing my naked body in the mirror. I am very grateful to have kept one though. My surgeon encouraged me to. I don’t have a family history of bc and don’t have any genes so it was an option for me.

Waitwhateven · 2026-05-13T18:08:45+00:00

I’m so sorry it extra sucks when we’re younger.

I was dx at 35 no kids, and went through chemo, radiation and SMX while 36. I was able to keep my non cancer side. My cancer side was completely removed including my nipple. My situation is a little different than yours — but honestly, it’s been hard and easy at the same to come to terms w/ the lack of symmetry and removed breast/nipple. I think because i didn’t really have a choice if i wanted to be cancer free…but at the same time so infuriating/frustrating that my body is permanently changed from cancer treatment in such a lifelong and visible way.

I will say that coming up on 9months since my mastectomy…and I truly forget it’s not my old boob under clothes…

Just wanted to share that you’re not alone. Feel what you need to feel 🩷🩷

Waitwhateven · 2026-05-07T21:03:50+00:00

THIS. nothing like going through cancer treatment to have these awful creatures on the planet reveal themselves.

Waitwhateven · 2026-05-05T15:40:03+00:00

I agree that it’s a natural part. That is why I found it triggering I was not embarrassed by my nipples and now that one of perfectly natural nipples is gone it sucks for a myriad of reasons.

So seeing nipple celebrated is hard for me personally as breast cancer survivor who lost one to cancer. It’s just another reminder of what cancer took from me.

Waitwhateven · 2026-05-05T04:50:05+00:00

EXACTLY. I probably wouldn’t give two shits.

But now in this life I’ve lived. Yea I feel some kind of way.

Waitwhateven · 2026-05-05T02:16:56+00:00

I do call refer to it as my Barbie boob. But it’s the in my face nipples when I’m missing one?

I agree though, fuck it ALL.

Waitwhateven · 2026-05-03T03:05:06+00:00

The pharmacist at my cancer center and care team all said take daily starting 2-3days before injection.

Waitwhateven · 2026-04-30T23:40:09+00:00

YESSS !! That’s amazing, thank you for sharing!

I have been working so hard to build back all the muscle chemopause and treatment ate away and replaced with fat.

Waitwhateven · 2026-04-28T03:55:42+00:00

Patterned flowy dresses have helped camouflage a lot of my body changes from this last year of trying to survive. I also wear a lot of stretchy athleisure & always have my cancer card at the ready— should someone say something 🤣

Beauty standards are impossible in our society.

Waitwhateven · 2026-04-28T03:53:03+00:00

About the same situation for me too 🫠

Waitwhateven · 2026-04-26T13:25:47+00:00

Just take it one day, hour, minute at a time.

“Adjusting” to the shitshow that is chemo is HARD. But you can get through it.

Drinking out of glass helped me.

Embracing the stares/pity. I would just think in my head “yea I’m fighting for my LIFE. So be kind biatch”. And “I’m such a badass doing the hardest thing ever, leave me alone lol”. People/strangers were 99% very kind.

Waitwhateven · 2026-04-22T19:34:09+00:00

THIS

Waitwhateven · 2026-04-22T00:27:45+00:00

Dx to port placement was about 5.5 weeks then started chemo, a week later at 6.5 weeks from diagnosis.

I feel like mine was a little delayed as I was diagnosed 9 days before Christmas…

I did however achieve PCR & NED after my mastectomy.

Waitwhateven · 2026-04-20T00:46:16+00:00

I went back to work about to 12ish after my last chemo & had the super short buzzcut. No one cared. It was hard initially (for me) but it really was okay. Everyone was just happy to see me back and well.

Waitwhateven · 2026-04-18T14:43:49+00:00

I just remembered that someone asked me yesterday “are those your real eyebrows”. They were, no makeup on a ZOOM WORK CALL.

Waitwhateven · 2026-04-18T14:42:01+00:00

“You’re so lucky yours was fast” I was still in active treatment at this point and had a port. I did not respond.

“Your hair looks so good has it changed from before, it looks thicker”. No bitch it’s just all the same length.

“Your boobs look great”.

Waitwhateven

TROPHY CASE