💗 January 2026 Surgery Crew—You’re Not Doing This Alone 💗
Are you scheduled for a lumpectomy or mastectomy this January? This space is for you. Come gather with others who truly get it as we prepare for surgery together—sharing questions, nerves, fears, tips, and hard-won honesty. This is a place for real talk, reassurance, and mutual encouragement before and after the big day.
If you’ve already been there, we need you too. Your firsthand experience—what helped, what surprised you, what recovery was really like—can be a lifeline for someone who’s counting down the days. Your voice matters more than you know.
✨ How to jump in:
- Share your surgery date so we can rally around you and cheer you on
- Let us know the type of surgery you’re having
- Come back after surgery to tell us how you’re doing—your story helps others feel less afraid and more prepared
As you get ready, don’t miss our Shopping / Packing / To-Do List for Surgery & Recovery, and check out the Surgery section of our site for clear, practical info on:
- Types of surgery
- Questions to ask your care team
- Choosing between lumpectomy and mastectomy
- What to expect during surgery and recovery
If you’re craving even more connection, our Virtual Support Groups are here for those in treatment—and beyond.
You are held here. We’re cheering for you, walking with you, and right there in your pocket on surgery day and through recovery. 💪💞
— The Mods
Comments
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I'll find out my surgery date on 12/31/25. I'm not sure my options yet. I didn't speak to anyone besides my doctors and family. I do not know what to pack for the hospital but I am hoping I will find out on the 31st.
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Welcome @ccie_063! Did you find out your surgery date yet? We're here to support you!
Also, check out this post:
And, this resource:
What to Expect With Any Surgery
We hope this helps!
—The Mods
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I’m having surgery on 22/1/26. It’s hopefully a lumpectomy. People keep asking me how I feel. Is it wrong that I just don’t feel anything right now. I think I’m in denial about it all still. Trying to be strong for my adult children.
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@salbertros,
I just wanted to stop in and say hi.
I had a left-side mastectomy + SNB in 2008 (plus chemo, plus AI); and in Nov. 2025 I was diagnosed with a new primary on the right side. I have a consult with a surgeon scheduled for Jan. 13th, so I might end up being official member of this January Surgery group. The preliminary diagnosis based on the biopsy last month was high-grade DCIS, but I was warned it might be up-staged after the results are back from surgery.
In my experience, it's okay for you to not feel anything at this point. In fact, I think there are advantages to being in denial during the days leading up to a major stressful event like cancer surgery. You're calm and distracted, which is far better than being super-anxious and unable to function. I don't especially like being characterized as "strong", as in, "Oh, you're so STRONG!!!". What choice do we have with this, other than to take one day at a time? I'd rather be called "resilient" than "strong". 😊1 -
Hi @salbertros , and welcome to Breastcancer.org. We’re sorry you’re going through this, but glad you found us.
Feeling numb or in denial after diagnosis or before surgery is a normal response, and there’s nothing wrong with it. Everyone processes this in their own way, and you don’t have to feel anything in particular right now.
We’re glad you’re here and hope you’ll find support from others who truly understand. Please reach out anytime, we're here to help!
Best,
The Mods
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hi all. New to this group. I was diagnosed right before Christmas with invasive ductal carcinoma. I’m having lumpectomy and lymph nodes removed this Friday January 9th. I’m a solo Mama of 2 amazing kiddos. Their Dad passed away almost 10 years ago. Dealing with this diagnosis and having to give my kids this news has been very difficult for me. I’ve been having annual mammograms since I was 38, I’m now 45 and had a clean mammogram but my doctor ordered an mri since it had been a while and that where they found this tumor. Does anyone know how long it generally takes after surgery to know if anything shows in the lymph nodes? Sending prayers and good thoughts to each of you and trying my best to not be anxious but man it’s hard
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@mamalulubare I have found each step of waiting to be really hard. I had a lumpectomy on 12/19 and my surgeon called me on 12/24 with news that it wasn’t in the lymph nodes and clean margins. I thought that was pretty quick and great holiday news. She sent the oncotype that day (12/24) and results for it were in my chart on 1/2. I had been told 2 weeks for the oncotype so I was happy to get it so fast especially during a holiday week. I hope it all goes well for you!
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Hi! My bilateral mastectomy to expanders is scheduled for 1/15. This is a recurrence/metachronous cancer for me, and I had a lumpectomy 10 years ago. That was a good experience - much easier than I expected.
I now have IDC on the original side and DCIS on the contralateral side, so now everything must go. I'll be having it at the day surgery center, staying over one night.
I'm anxious but feel mostly ready. I've been minimalist about buying things to prep because I don't want to get a bunch of stuff I don't need and I'm maybe in a bit of denial about how bad I'll feel for how long.
My biggest worries are healing issues from previous radiation 10 years ago, waiting on pathology to find out if chemo will be needed, and a surprise kidney neoplasm found during a scan to check for metastasis. Unless something unexpected happens at biopsy, I'm having a partial nephrectomy on 2/19. I am stressing about 2 fairly big surgeries back-to-back like that, with the possibility of chemo somewhere in there AND the looming reconstruction at some point. But I am trying to not think too far ahead lest I get overwhelmed.
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"Oh, you're so STRONG!!!". What choice do we have with this, other than to take one day at a time?
So true! This also annoys me, along with any warrior language. I know it's people trying to cope with their own fears and be reassuring. What would I prefer instead? I don't know! Maybe I just want to be annoyed with people who don't have cancer. 🤣
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