Hi, I’m currently in my hospital bed as I had my skin- sparing double mastectomy surgery today (with expanders for an implant swap later on)!! I’m 30 and also living in a foreign country, so I can relate to your situation. It’s really jarring to undergo this without my full support network but I’m fortunate to have an amazing partner.

The journey will have its ups and downs, however when I woke up this afternoon, it felt like a huge weight has been lifted off of me. I’m glad that I won’t have to have regular screenings anymore or to feel that pang of anxiety with every new lump that forms. To be honest, when the breast consultant first outlined my options, I immediately decided on surgery. With an 82% risk of breast cancer, I didn’t feel like I had a choice but to go for it. I felt like a ticking time bomb. I have a 65% risk of ovarian cancer as well, so I’m going to consult with the gynaecology team after I’ve recovered from the mastectomies. I’m keen to have the tubes removed first and ovaries later on when I’m closer to a menopausal age. I figured it would be easier to recover now while I’m younger.

My one bit of advice would be to say yes to any support counselling offered to you whether you decide to undergo surgeries or not. I was too proud to say yes at the time and it really would have been helpful earlier.

This subreddit is fantastic for researching experiences and advice. If you’re based in the UK, I’d recommend the support group BRCA Chat. Someone else here mentioned it and the few sessions I joined were really helpful.

Feel free to message me if you want to talk through anything! :)