Hello Ladies my name is Lisa and I am 50 years old. This time 12 years ago (2007) I had just started out on my treatment journey after been diagnosed with BC. I remember the day as if it was yesterday myself and my husband sitting with James Geraghty in Tallaght hospital and he drawing a circle on a piece of paper and another small one inside and colouring it in and then putting lots of dots around- this was his simple way of explaining I had a 2cm tumour with lots of pre cancerous cells around it and for me the only option really was a mastectomy. I fell to pieces I said to him do what you have to I have 2 little girls at home age 9 and 5 and I need to be around to see them grow up yet I was devastated in the thought of losing my breast at 38. After a follow up consultation with the breast care team I opted to have my mastectomy followed by reconstruction using my back muscle and an implant all in the one surgery. I remember waking up in recovery and it felt like I had a stone of spuds strapped to my chest. After it settled down it didn’t look too bad and I had ‘something’ to go into the bra even though it was smaller than the other side as I was a ‘big’ girl in that department. I was than referred to Janice Walsh my oncologist who was just fantastic through the whole 10 years I attended her always been positive with me but straight up at the same time. My result was ER positive HR negative and 3 out of the 20 glands removed were positive and tumour was grade 2. I was offered the opportunity to participate in a clinical trail which I did so I went on the AC-T chemo treatment which was 8 cycles of chemo over 16 weeks. It was tough going as you all know but I got through it I had great support from my family with looking after the girls and the housework it was like a revolving door with my Mam and Mike’s Mam it was the one and only time I never had any ironing waiting to be done in my house. My chemo finished in May and then after a couple of weeks of rest I started my Radiotherapy that was long as I had it for quite a few weeks everyday mon – fri and I was totally exhausted when I finished early in Dec. In October 2017 I began taken Tamoxifen and in the start I experienced the side effects ‘tropical moments’ that’s what I called my hot flashes, the aching bones especially in the morning when you think your ankles are going to snap, the sudden wave of tiredness that hits you. My oncologist suggested I took glucosamine and recommended one from the health food stores and I did see a difference after I start taking that with my aching bones. The tropical moments settled down over time and I only really experienced then when I was very tired. Unfortunately during Radiotherapy my reconstruction went haywire the muscle contracted on the implant and basically the shape changed on the boob and it raised up and my boob was now nearly sitting under my chin !!! I battled on with this shape for a few years just thankful all my treatment had went well and I had recovered. 7 years on during one of my yearly checks Janice told me there was a new plastic surgeon Colin Morrison in Vincent’s Hospital and would I be interested in going to see him to see if he could do anything to improve the shape or position of the boob. We had a consultation with Mr Morrison and he gave me the option of taking the implant and muscle away and reconstructing me a new boob with the tissue from my tummy (which I had plenty of that for him to work with!) the only thing I was made aware of that if the attachment of the blood vessels failed the tissue would die and I would be left with nothing as the back up option is normally using the back muscle which I had already used. I went ahead with the surgery and it was a fantastic success you would barely know it was a new boob except for the flap of skin that had to be used. The surgery was very long 8 hours and the recovery is a good month of taking it very easy it is the tummy part that the recovery is mainly about. I was delighted with my new boob and then they encouraged me to go for the nipple reconstruction which I did. I was absolutely devastated when they removed the bandages after the 2 weeks as I looked down and all I could see was a knob big enough to hang your coat on. My reaction was what have I done to my lovely new boob. The surgeon reassured me it would settle down and it did and looks perfect. The final touches was the tattoo around my nipple to finish it off. I had my final yearly check in Aug 2017 and Janice told me that my time with Tamoxifen was over and there was no need to see her anymore but just keep up the yearly mammogram. It was very strange that day leaving her consultation room I was so happy and yet so nervous like letting someone’s hand go and taking your first steps on your own.
Sometimes I sit here and think did I actually go through all that or was it a ‘dream’. I am wiping a tear from my eye as I finish up my piece a tear of happiness that I have survived the battle. For all you ladies going through the battle at the minute there is light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully you will be sitting down in time to come wondering the same thing was it a dream. Staying positive and having the laughs with the tears along the way is most important xxxx
