‘I don’t care what people think’
Darlaine Honey, 59, lives in Kingston-upon-Thames.
Walking into the party in my slinky dress, I noticed a man do a double-take. A few hours later, I left with his number – happy that, at 59 and after a double mastectomy, I could still feel and look sexy.
I was 54 in October 2016 when doctors diagnosed invasive lobular breast cancer. I took it in my stride, especially as doctors were confident I’d be OK. I was in a long-term relationship but we split up soon after, and I ended up living alone. But I knew my kids Chay, now 33, and Dollie, 23, would be there for me, as well as my sister Mel, 58.
In May 2017, I had a double mastectomy. I didn’t feel sentimental about losing my 38EE breasts – I just wanted the next stage to begin. A year later, I had my new implants. I liked how perky they were, but without nipples, there was something missing. So I chose to get a beautiful floral tattoo.
But even with my new boobs, my confidence plummeted. The cancer treatment left me with joint pain and sped up menopause. Feeling like a withered old woman, I wondered whether I’d ever be up for sex again.
A friend suggested I ‘get back in the saddle’ – with him! I’d known him a decade, and there was always a spark, plus I could trust him. Still, I was nervous – it felt like losing my virginity again. But we took it slowly and I felt really happy. We still sleep together, but strictly as ‘friends with benefits’.
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Denne historien er fra March 16, 2021-utgaven av WOMAN'S OWN.
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