I became much more sensitive, "ups" and "downs" follow each other:
- Low, when I was thinking of the cancer, after the surgery when inspecting the padded seams and the small breast, also having the continuous seromes (assembled lymph) in the armpits and thus very painful cramping. This drove me almost to despair. - And I missed the hormones taken for years.
- Then a complete deep after one's saying: "there is not much left". I was not any longer pleased with myself, the tears were always close, thoughtless remarks were difficult to bear.
- Long-continuous high after well selected words of my physician for the aftercare. I am now even somewhat proud of my "new" breast and show this also gladly.
- Then again a deep: I feel alone even I have intimate persons around me, because I don’t want to bother them with my changing moods. I would appreciate so much an exchange of ideas, an encouragement.
- An intermediate high occurred now, because I feel physically excellent, I am full of energy, perceive with joy that my breast develops to be better and better looking.
When will the very large high arrive? - Perhaps thanks to this documentation? An encouragement for me would be if this could help to spread more information about cancer of the breast and thereby to avoid possible errors. Because against cancer the correct procedure is probably the most important thing.
Future
The cancer diagnosis produced large fear - this lies now behind me.
Hope remains,
- that the breast cancer could successfully be eliminated by surgery and radiotherapy,
- that by taking an aromatase inhibitor no more chance exists for any new cancer cells and the side effects will be as small as possible,
- that I can still work for a long time in my garden in Italyand that it keeps me physically and mentally fit, so that unexpected things do not make me loose so fast my equilibrium,
- that getting older will give joy, that the energy and the health remain quite good, the little complaints of old age do not increase.
Could continue still 20 further good years?
Thoughts
By working out this documentation about my breast cancer I became conscious of
- how extraordinarily important it is to meet already at the right time the physicians really specializing in breast cancer;
- that only a well equipped hospital will be capable of surgery with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), and that a surgeon is as important who knows how to form again a breast very nicely (I was in best hands);
- how much detailed help has been given me by physicians and specialists, also by nurses, to destroy this cancer;
- what big luck I have, that the lymphnodes didn't show cancer cells and no metastases were found;
- that I will be cared for in the best way by my physician for the aftercare.
I feel marvelous - (apart from occasional unpleasant "downs").
All persons concerned who have contributed to my good recovery,
I thank very cordially! - Erika Rusterholz (in August 2004)
Summary
The early recognition is important: regular mammography, very often palpating the breast (not only standing, also sideways lying) and immediate reaction when finding something unexpected.
The transfer to a specialist for the clarification of these changes should not be delayed, because the clarifications (tissue samples/biopsies) are important in order to be able to plan optimally an eventual surgery.
If the lymphnodes are still without cancer, choose for the surgery a hospital which is comprehensively familiar with the sentinel lymph node biopsy.
In the present documentation all diagnoses/reports are inserted. These are however usually only communicated verbally. In written form they would have to be asked for.
To know as much as possible about the surgery calms down very much. Better ask twice, if something is not clear. With the surgeon, the possibilities should be clarified on how the breast can be treated and restored as nicely as possible.
The adjuvant therapy is very important. The radiotherapy does not hurt (only the skin itches for some time), does not make tired (mostly only the trip to and from the place of the therapy is tiresome). Fear should not arise.
TIPS
In the InterNet look at Google under individual references, like "breast cancer", "breast lumps" and similar expressions. Very much can be learned thereby.
My pictures are provided to a large part with technical terms, since this documentation should also be interesting for physicians. Those medical expressions should be entered individually with Google, about so: "what is a .....", or look up in a medical encyclopedia in the InterNet. Also the pictures don’t have yet a text in English (perhaps later...) but the general explanation should be sufficient for the understanding.
In this homepage are some institutions on the "Link" list which contain detailed descriptions about previously mentioned biopsies and the radiotherapy.
And if just something is not clear, please send me an e-mail via "Contact", the answer will arrive immediately.
Many of unknown definitions are explained quite detailed under "Question/Answer" .
From my experience which, however, is not completely simple, I recommend: Be optimistic, that everything runs well - that helps. And don't lose courage, if the recovery lasts longer than expected. - I wish all the best in every case!
Thanks a lot
for medical support/contributions received from:
PD Dr. med. Christoph Rageth, Breast-Center Zurich:
all ultrasound pictures and mammograms made during aftercare,
schematic drawings
PD Dr. med. Mathias Fehr, Gynaekology University Hospital Zurich:
radiograms of the stereotactic biopsy (in "Clarifications"),
