Member Profile for Elaine Froeter  -  371  Views

In Feb. 2006 on a Thursday night I found a small lump in my right breast. My doctor got me in immediately the next day (a Friday) and scheduled me for a biopsy on Tues., Feb. 14. For the three years prior I either had cysts aspirated or biopsied and they always came back benign. However, on Feb. 17, 2006 I received that dreaded call saying I had breast cancer. I was given the option of having a lumpectomy, having my right breast removed or having both breasts removed and to have breast reconstruction to follow. With my past history I opted to have both breasts removed. The cyst in my right breast was no bigger than a pencil eraser. After my surgery, my breast surgeon came in my hospital room and he told me that he was so glad I chose to remove both breasts. He said he had never seen anything like my case before. He was completely baffled. That small pencil size cyst caused the cancer to invade 26 lymph nodes under my right arm. There was not one single tissue in my left breast invaded with cancer, however, there was 35 lymph nodes under my left arm invaded with cancer. I, of course, had to do chemo and radiation. The breast reconstruction has been difficult because of infections. I have one permanent implant in, but not the other because I got a staff infection in it when it was put in. It had to be taken out and I have to wait 3 to 4 months before we can try again to put in the permanent implant. To say the least, I don't regret at all having both breasts removed. My advice to any other women would be to play it safe and do the same. I'm just looking very forward to getting the other permanent implant in place so I can, for once in my life, have cleavage that I've never had before!!!