Mysillydog fingers crossed for poor image quality. (Doesn't cancer leave us wishing for strange things sometimes?!) Though it would have been nice if someone had called and explained rather than leaving you wondering
rocket I hope surgery went smoothly and that you are recovering well 
Unborn good that the thread has helped. That's what we are here for! :) I think, like so many things, it's something you can only understand when you have been through it. I even noticed a huge difference after my secondary diagnosis last year. I thought I had some idea from people's posts on here what it must feel like, and from having had a primary cancer diagnosis a few years previously, but it was a totally different kettle of fish. The main thing is to try and support your relative as best you can and to let them open up to you if they'd like be kind to yourself too as it's difficult for family and friends too. Try to find someone (not the relative with cancer) to open up to about it, if you haven't already and feel you need to
minty I like the idea of your smiling body :) DD sounds wise. My scars don't really look like anything. My main one used to look like one of those fake Halloween scars before the staple marks faded 
and someone at Pilates once asked me if I had a third nipple?! It was just my little drain scar 
royal I didn't start the fire, as it were. The threads had been going a couple of years I think when I joined! 
java knowledge is power, I reckon. Scary too. But you will presumably receive guidance before you have to make any decisions, if there are any decisions to make. You're doing a really great thing by taking part in the research :) good luck with your results appointment. It's natural to assume the worst so I shall hope for the best on your behalf!
pepper I'm sure your kids don't mind because you're their mum and they're happy to have you, scars and all. But it's not always easy I'm sure. I can't pretend to fully understand as my surgery didn't really make much difference to my appearance.
I have wonky love handles as they had to yank up the skin/muscle/flab from my hip to close one of my incisions. But it's not really that noticeable and would be less so if I lost the love handles. My scars aren't usually visible. And actually I sometimes find myself absentmindedly stroking them. They, along with the chemo, gave me three and a half years cancer free, and I feel like they are just part of me now. But on the other hand I'm quite resentful of my internal alterations!
I'm rambling away. I hope everyone has a relaxing weekend. I'm really pleased as I went out this morning for the first non-medical outing in a fortnight :)