Hi Ladies - I haven't been on this site for a little while so read with interests the posts in this thread. I too live in South Australia in a rural region.
My mother was diagnosed with BC at 36 and then again at 48. I was aged 12 and 24 respectively. This was 25 years ago and she is now nearly 73 and totally cancer free.
What I saw her go through when I was 24 embedded in my psyche that "if I was ever faced with the decision, I would get rid of them both".
As Mum was young at first diagnosis, we three girls had to have mammograms from aged 30.
In March 2010 (I was 45) I had a mammogram which found DCIS in my LB. I immediately informed my specialist that I would like to "get rid of them both". It was a decision that I did not waver from, had a lumpectomy immediately to "give me time to make my decision" and then had the bilateral mastectomy in July 2010 with immediate recon with expanders. I did have complications with infections however in Feb 2011 had the exchange surgery and to this day the weight off my shoulders has been immense (figuratively and literally LOL).
I had genetic testing at the time and did NOT have a faulty gene - this did not change my attitude about my decision. My Mum was then tested and she DOES have the BRCA 2 gene. SO my 2 sisters then were tested - 1 does have gene the other does not. The sister with the gene has had prophylactic mastectomy last year and the sister that does not have the gene has just lost 30kg so she is able to have the same surgery. The entire experience has been life changing for us all.
Sorry this post is so long, but wanted to paint the picture both as a daughter of a mother with BC, as a survivor myself and also as a mother myself. I did not want my daughter & son to experience the trauma that I saw my mother go through nor have them live each day with not knowing if it was going to come back or myself be on a constant roller coaster of wondering. For the last 24 years I had looked at them and asked "I wonder when you are going to get me".
I certainly will not say that I don't miss my boobs, but the relief in knowing that I have done what I can to eliminate my risk is overwhelming.
At the end of the day we can only make decisions which are right for us and it really is something that until you are in it, you cannot definitively know how you will feel but you make the decisions based the best information and what is right for you.
Good luck
Leanne :-)
Feel free to add me as a contact to chat privately or read my story also - I am also a BCNA Community Liaison.
HI Belinda, I saw your post and just wanted to say hi, and welcome. Also to let you know that there is a Triple Negative group in the network if you want to connect in with others with a similar diagnosis. You can find it here: http://www.bcna.org.au/group/16948.
