I had always been a very healthy lady, taking my vitamins, exercising and eating right.
And yet on March 2012 at 62, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, on the right side..
I was given the choice of a lumpectomy , removal of the right breast or I could have a bilateral mastectomy . After much prayer, crying and sharing with my family, I had the
Bilateral mastectomy on April 23 and had the expanders put in at the same operation..
Next week, I had to see an oncologist for the biopsy results...I was told that I definitely had made the right choice.. Cancer cells were found in my left breast and I would had been facing this again if I had not made the right choice....I give God all the glory for this..
I had prayed and received the peace I needed.. Recovery was hard and I stayed in pain and stayed sick a lot..I started having hot flashes every 10 minutes and I had already been through menopause.. Was put on Effexor which was another answered prayer..hot flashes stopped almost immediately...my immune system was low so therefore I caught the flu, viruses and anything that was going on...I also started having bladder infections, now I take a pill daily for that..
Next came the implants, which turned out to be very ugly and painful...my right implant stayed under my arm and swollen most of the time. I was not happy and decided to see another surgeon. She removed old implants and placed new ones in and also sewed my skin beside the Implant to my rib cage hoping to keep it in place...but this did not work either... Right implant still swells under arm and stitches did not hold..
Later came the nipple reconstruction and the tattoo nipple..
My breast are not very attractive, I still stay sick a lot and in pain, but I am a Survivor...I thank my Jesus first, my family and friends....
Waterloo, SC
