More surgery

Hi Rachel

After my routine yearly mammogram in December 2013, I was also diagnosed with a DCIS in my left breast, very small, only .6mm which all came out in biopsy, as a lumpectomy showed no further cancer, this meant no chemo or radium which was great. As a further preventative, I had my ovaries removed in April 2014. As another level of screening, I saw a geneticist in October 2014 and as I had no really strong family history (mother's half sister had breast cancer in her 70's, father's neice died of ovarian cancer), my geneticist thought it would be unlikely that I would test positive. I decided to have the test anyway, because, in my mind, I wanted to do all within my power to prevent the cancer from happening again. I'm glad I did have the test, because I tested positive to the BRCA2 gene. After consulting with my breast surgeon, Dr Jenny Gough at the Wesley in Brisbane, her recommendation was a bilateral mastectomy with immediate TRAM flap reconstruction. The choice was mine, and I agreed with her. So 5 weeks ago (11 April 2015) I had my operation. It was a very big op, 12 hours, but I was in extremely good hands with both Dr Jenny Gough and her team and Dr Eddie Cheng as my plastic surgeon and his team. I cannot thank them both enough, for their meticulous, brilliant and expert care. They are both so very kind and experts in their field, and their dedication to their patients is outstanding, reassuring and comforting. I would also like to thank Dr Andrea Riha, my cardiovascular specialist who, due to my Factor V clotting gene, has ensured I have been safe right throughout my long surgery and post op. Between them all, I certainly have the A TEAM looking after me so very well, for which I and my family will be forever grateful. I am recovering very well 5 weeks later, have a lovely flat stomach and some lovely new breasts. Still lots of swelling but that will go. And to answer the big question, am I glad I did it, the answer is 100% yes. My pathology came back with atypical change in both breasts which, if left, would have eventually turned to cancer somewhere down the track. So I am very glad I made the choice I did, and look forward to hopefully living a long life now free of breast cancer. I hope that all your results come back with the answers you're hoping for, but should you have to have a mastectomy, I am happy to talk to you further about the surgery I have had, I am very fortunate to have had a very positive experience. Personally I think it is very important to have the right surgeons around you, and a positive attitude also helps. I wish you all the best and happy to help in any way I can. Cheers Louise