grandma-mom-me's Journey with Invasive (Infiltrating) Ductal Carcin...

Due to family history, I was asked to participate in this. While undergoing testing, it was found that I already was in stage 0 breast cancer. Since my grandmother, great aunt, mother, and my sister had experienced breast cancer, I chose to under go a bi-lateral prophylactic mastectomy.

15 months after my sister was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer at age 36, I, at age 45, was diagnosed with stage 0. Our mother died of breast cancer at age 55.

After my sister was diagnosed, my husband wanted me to have a bi-lateral prophylactic mastectomy. I said I needed a year to get use to the idea. He said, "What if cancer shows up in that time?" I responded, "What is the likelyhood of that?" Well, pretty good! In ten months, I sought 7 different medical opinions from Baylor in Texas to UM in Michigan. Most agreed with the mastectomy. So when I was diagnosed, it was fairly easy to decide to go ahead with the mastectomy to be followed 3 months later with reconstruction.

My surgeon was wonderful and very supportive, but I wasn't expecting to be sent home after one night in the hospital, with drains hanging under each arm that I have to empty and measure each day. Once it was at a certain level, I returned to the hospital to have the drains removed. I've been told that now insurances allow a longer stay in the hospital so that patients can adjust and feel more comfortable with what they have to do. I was surprised of the little pain involved. It seems that nerves are removed with the surgery, so there isn't too much pain in recovery. Note, I did NOT have any lymphnodes removed. My doctor said that at stage 0, there shouldn't be any involvement with the nodes. He said that is the most painful part of a mastectomy and he would rather have me come back in for removal of those, than to just do it unnecessarily. When my tissue was inspected, it showed that my surgeon was right. I was so thankful for him sparing me that!

It's been just short of 20 years and I have remained cancer free! I did have a hysterectomy this year. After having 3 large polyps removed, I decided to go ahead with a hysterectomy 3 months later. When I had my reconstruction in '93 (a tram flap from the abdomen), the surgeon wanted to do a hysterectomy then. I felt I was too young for that. I didn't go into menopause till I was 59. I feel those added 14 years gave me a lot of bone protection. Once the polyps started appearing, I got rid of my uterus and ovaries and have noticed no difference in how I feel. Last year my sister had breast cancer appear in her remaining breast, had a mastectomy. After surgery, another unrelated breast cancer was found in the tissue. So she has had 3 different unrelated breast cancers. She has undergone chemo and is doing well!