L-MX, but no chemo/rads...how much do you tell folks

Similarly to LAstar, I was 45 at diagnosis, and the first of the group to go through something like this so I was pretty open about it in the hopes it would get people to get themselves checked, and now try to be a resource to the extent I can. I’m not a particularly private person though so it really doesn’t bother me to have people know.

As for the dentist or other similar situations, I don’t go out of my way to volunteer it, but if there is a questionnaire that asks “have you had a history of cancer” I say yes, or since I am on Tamoxifen, if it asks for a list of medications I include it.

Really not a big deal in my experience - no one has particularly commented about it or asked me to go into more detail, and honestly, unfortunately breast cancer is so common these days that no one bats an eye about it as they all know someone who have been through it or have been through it themselves.

In your situation (no drugs) I think telling or not is up to you. I did tell my dental hygienist (BMX but no chemo or antihormonals) and she was so thrown by it that I really regretted it and wish I had not mentioned it to her or put it in my health form update. Mean of me, maybe, but I dislike having to deal with other peoples' emotions about it. I am a long-time patient, and understand her shock/surprise, but it was a bit much. I get the need to disclose if there are drugs involved, but once you are 6 months or so past surgery it's your call.

Same--my mother is 82 and telling her was more painful than finding out myself. If I had not needed a major surgery I would not have told her at all.

I am an elementary school music teacher and had a BMX with reconstruction over Christmas break. I teach all students in the school, grades K-5. I had to tell my 5th graders something because I was supposed to direct their chorus concert in January and moved the date up to December before break. When they asked why, I just told them that I had some personal things going on that needed to be taken care of and that I was not going into detail, so don't bother asking. Well, now I've been off for the whole month of January and am planning to go back to school tomorrow. No chemo or radiation needed (just started Femara) so I won't look any different to my students. I'm sure the kids (especially the little ones) will be asking "Where WERE you?" I think I may just tell them that I had some health issues and I needed to rest, but that I'm doing better now. I am not comfortable sharing the breast cancer diagnosis with them. Any other teachers have any suggestions for telling/not telling students?