For anyone facing a possible mastectomy- please consider having both breasts removed at the same time! I wish I had thought to ask for that if a mastectomy became necessary. That is my biggest regret!On March 9, 2011 I went to Poudre Valley Hospital for an outpatient lumpectomy to remove a large lump that was suspected to be cancerous. I awoke from that procedure checked into a hospital bed having undergone a complete mastectomy of my right breast. It was a much larger mass than suspected, and was indeed cancer. In addition, the surgeon removed 15 lymph nodes, 7 of which tested positive for cancer. The diagnosis- metastasized Stage IV Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.
Not knowing the extent of the cancer, or even if it was
cancer yet, I had agreed with my surgeon that he should use his best judgment
during the procedure as to how much of my breast to remove. Even as much as the
whole breast if he deemed it necessary. I think he did that, and considering
the extent of the cancer, he made the best possible decision.
Because I did not really even expect to be dealing with
cancer, let alone as much as was found, I was unprepared for the ramifications
of a complete mastectomy. Mainly, I quickly discovered that I HATED being lopsided.
Being large breasted for the past few decades, meant I now had one large breast
and one no breast. Clothes no longer fit well, and I became very
self-conscious. I started down the path of trying to find a comfortable
prosthetic breast for my right side. The most lifelike was made of rubber- hot
and heavy. The most comfortable was a puff of fibers stuck in my bra- totally
not lifelike did not move with my body, and needed constant adjusting. Three
years, and lots of body-image therapy and workshops later, I still hated being
lopsided, AND I hated wearing a prosthesis.
For anyone facing a possible a mastectomy- please consider having both breasts removed at the same time! I wish I had thought to ask for that if a mastectomy became necessary. That is my biggest regret!
Secondly, I quickly learned about the complications of lymphedema. Having lost so many lymph
nodes, a chain in the front of my chest and a chain down my back, my scar area
was not just the red line across my chest as I had seen in pictures. It was a
large mass from my breast bone around my right side (under my arm) to my back.
It was like a tight sheath that I wore under my skin every day. That sheath
took almost two years to soften and stop being painful. Nerves were sacrificed
in the procedure so some areas on my right side have never returned to normal.
I was warned while in the hospital that I might never regain
the strength in that arm, and that I should be very vigilant not to injure it.
Also that I could never again have a blood pressure test on my right arm, or
any blood taken or injections given on that side. All to prevent any injury to
that fragile side. Injury could induce a lymphedema episode.
For the first year I did not experience any lymphedema. Then
one day about a year after the surgery I woke up with an elephant arm. It hurt!
I had to learn to wear a tight, stretchy sleeve every day to bring down the
swelling and pain. That made my hand and fingers puff up and ache, so I also
had to wear a tight fingerless glove as well. I found a good lymphedema physical
therapist to bring it under control. Now I get lymphedema massage every other week.
And I've learned to be on guard for any signs of swelling and to wear my sleeve
and glove as a preventative measure.
Three years after my mastectomy and diagnosis, I had a
second surgery to remove some suspicious remaining breast tissue on the right
side, and to remove my left breast. Turns out the suspicious tissue was just
scar tissue and not cancerous. Meanwhile, I am so much happier to be
flat-chested and not lopsided!
