Wired868 Wired868 for smart sport news and opinion
Chapter 9: I didn’t know what I didn’t know…
I have realised that TV and social media sell dreams. As if I were unsure before this…
From the point of diagnosis, to surgery, to chemotherapy, there is a growing list of things I did not know. For those who are close to me and were aware of the process, they admitted that they also did not know…
(via iStock.)
1. You can have NO family history of breast cancer and still be diagnosed with breast cancer. Having had this experience myself, zero stars – Do Not Recommend!
2. You can have cancer in one breast or both at the same time. I was confirmed to have cancerous tumours (including dead cancer cells) in my left breast.
After surgery and extensive testing of the tissue removed from both breasts, my doctor confirmed that the right breast had something called a radial scar. And apparently, 30% of radial scars turn into cancer. Sobering, to say the least.
3. Saving your breast is dependent on the size of the tumour(s) and whether there is spread to the lymph nodes.
Based on the MRI, which confirmed multiple areas of cancer in my left breast, my doctor confirmed that removal of the entire breast would be necessary. The decision to remove both my breasts was a personal one.
4. Having a double mastectomy reduces the chance of recurrence but does not totally eliminate it. Yes, if not treated via chemotherapy, there can be recurrence in other parts of the body.
There have also been instances of recurrence even when treated with chemotherapy, but at this point, I have to have faith that all that I am doing is enough to NEVER have this experience ever again.
5. If you opt to remove just the tumour, it is known as a lumpectomy, and most likely it will require BOTH chemotherapy AND radiation to treat the remaining breast tissue.
I did not need radiation, thank God. The pictures of burns that it leaves are a lot to digest. Having said that, though, reading about chemotherapy and its side effects is also a lot to digest, but I got through it with the grace of God.
6. Surgery under general anaesthesia is nerve-wrecking. You go in, fall asleep and wake up with scars. It seems like five minutes, but to family and friends waiting outside the operating theatre, it feels like an eternity.
7. Recovering from major surgery is hard. I struggled with being patient with myself and those supporting me. I also needed to remember that my husband and wider support system were also recovering with me.
8. Insurance and savings are an absolute MUST. Prioritise these while you are well and able, so that in the event that you become ill, you have a cushion. Having had the experience of multiple close family members becoming ill at a fairly young age, I prioritised insurance from an early age.
For someone who enjoys travelling and some of the finer things in life, paying close to $2,000 per month in insurance is a lot. I made the sacrifice, and thankfully so.
When this ordeal began, I was even more thankful to be able to rely on those policies to ensure I received the standard of care I preferred, rather than having to settle for what the public health system had to offer.
Some insurance companies want you to live for a certain time before they honour your claim. It is known as a survivor’s clause.
One of my policies included this clause, and I did not pay attention to it until I needed to make a claim. I was told that, essentially, I could only make a claim 30 days after diagnosis or basically, live for a minimum of 30 days after diagnosis before they could cut me a cheque.
Some insurance agents falter after they get your business… surprise, surprise. When I signed up for my insurance policies, the agents came to me, came to my home, came to my office.
When I needed to make a claim, I had to find them, find their offices. Emails sometimes went unanswered for days. Imagine dealing with the trauma of a critical illness diagnosis and wanting information on your policies but having to wait—double torture.
Some ‘friends’ become acquaintances in times of illness. Intentional or not, it hurt me at first, then I dusted myself off and re-focused on those who matter. Now, the thing is, I would not wish this ordeal on anyone, not even those persons.
Photo: Getty Images.
What I would instead wish is that their support system steps up in their times of need.
Chapter 8: It was an onslaught of information... Reading about breast cancer survivors and their stories quickly shifts from spectator Read more
Chapter 7: I had some dark days... Imagine moving from a place of ‘normal’ to being told you have breast Read more
Chapter 6: I got really angry... In many marriages, there is balance in terms of personalities. One party can go Read more
Chapter 5: I cried for two days... By the second chemotherapy session, I had a routine. I’d wash my hair Read more
Chapter 4: Had to manage my expectations... And what do you do when you are given life-changing news? Spiral? Lean Read more
Chapter 3: Paid and Paid ... This journey has taught me so many lessons—the importance of savings and insurance being Read more
