January 2001, I had noticed an pencil "eraser head" size bump near my right cleavage area. Prior to that, I had the gastric by-pass in August. I dropped nearly 60 lbs, and feeling bones I hadn't felt in a very long time. I dismissed the bump because it felt as though it were on my ribcage. June I had my yearly exam and the N/P told me I needed a Mammogram. ( I was 34 years old) She said I had a lump in my left breast. I hadn't felt it because I had ALWAYS had "lumpy" breasts. Had the mammogram and ultra sound on both spots. After, I also had needle and core biopsies. The surgeon said I had cancer in my right breast but not in the left.
After research and deliberation I decided on a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. When I told the surgeon of my decision she did not agree with me, but did not argue, as she could see that my mind was made up.
1 week post-op she very humbly said it "was a good thing I had them take the left side too, as it too had cancer (just not where they did the biopsies). A couple of months after my fight, I had a very dear friend come to me to hear my story and for some "advice". After hearing my story she elected to do the very same thing. A couple of months later I ran into her and she explained that she let her doctor talk her into a 'lumpectomy' but they didn't get clear margins. She said she was going to insist on the bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. A couple of months later she did it again...another lumpectomy without clear margins....2 years later she died of brain cancer. Her breast cancer had metastasized. She let her doctor talk her into something she did not agree with, but she felt he knew more than she did.
Moral of this story, YOU KNOW YOUR OWN BODY...don't let anyone talk you into something you do or do not want to do.
Madera, CA
