When you hear those awful words, ‘You have breast cancer’ your head goes into overdrive and you don’t hear much after that – in that instant your life has been changed forever. Breast cancer, however is not just one disease – it has many faces. The lady who is diagnosed perhaps by screening and has a tiny lump which is removed with clear margins without further intervention, to those diagnosed at Stage IV with cancer invading other organs, there is a vast difference and for them all to be ‘lumped’ (pardon the pun) together is wrong. But, being the complex disease it is, breast cancer can easily jump from one stage to another and as we aren’t very good at seeing into the future, it can be very difficult for our doctors to decide which treatment path to follow.
When treatment is finished there is a danger of the patient feeling very vulnerable and alone. All of those people who were looking after you are no longer around you and it is important that you try to start getting your life back to some sense of normality as soon as possible.
Living with a mastectomy isn’t easy – but it certainly doesn’t make you any less of a woman. My husband refers to my scar as my ‘bravery award’ and yes, for the most part that’s how I see it too. But there are certain things which take you unaware – like seeing a beautiful bra in a shop – you touch it and then realize you can’t wear it, as it won’t support your prosthesis and a pang of hurt and disbelief fills your heart.
The moment I woke up after my mastectomy I felt more beautiful than I had felt for a long while. As with Inflammatory Breast Cancer the chemotherapy is given first, I had been living with the knowledge that I was carrying a breast with cancer for months – quite a relief to get rid of it.
I count myself very lucky to have survived a Stage IIIb breast cancer and will continue to support patients and carriers, and work hard to fight for education, awareness and research.
I will do my best to help anyone with problems or questions – please contact me by email
laney@aboutibc.co.uk
Laney Cummings |
