JJ's Breast Cancer Story

We would like to start this week off with another story of breast cancer survival from one of our patient's.  Here is JJ's story:

 

JJ's Cancer Story

"My cancer journey:

I did everything right...I had children and breast fed them and worked out and ate right.  So when I found a lump in my breast, I monitored it for a couple of months.  It was different than all the rest, which had been fiber-systic lumps from caffeine and would go away after I cut down.
 

So I decided to get an appt. with my Dr. and do my annual check up/mammogram.  Then back it up with a sonogram. I have been sharing with every woman I can, that even though I was pointing right at the lump, the mammogram never picked it up. The sonogram did, though and then I had a needle biopsy. That was the first nightmare in the journey of pain.

They diagnosed me with Stage 1 breast cancer, so I had a lumpectomy.  When the surgeon went to cut it out, he found a more aggressive and reoccurring type of cancer that they described as stars in the galaxy.  I knew immediately that I would have a double mastectomy.

My daughter wanted to help me out afterwards by asking her plastic surgeon to recommend someone for my reconstruction, who also took my insurance.  Why, Dr. Miles, of course!  He was also highly recommended by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons as well.  

I went back to work and was so self-conscious, even though I had been a 34 A.  I tried prosthetics and they were hot and uncomfortable and would move around.  I just used them while I waited to go in for surgery for my reconstruction.  Now that I have spacers and am getting ready for the last surgery, I feel so much better about how I look and will look when it is all over.

This last year has been a long road, but every time I went in to Dr. Miles' office everyone was so happy and sweet and understanding.  It helped me feel a little better each time."

 

JJ