I’m telling my story now so that other women will think about what they would want in similar circumstances. When you get a breast cancer diagnosis, you have to make decisions very quickly. I think it’s worth thinking ahead and making yourself aware of your options. As for me, I decided that if I had a chance not to lose part of myself, then I’d seize that chance.
The night before my first mastectomy, I put on a red lace teddy and Lawrence took some pictures of me as a kind of goodbye to my right breast. I’m happy to say I can – and do – still wear that teddy.
Breast reconstruction: A personal choice
When Carol Patterson was first diagnosed with breast cancer, back in 2002, breast reconstruction wasn’t always discussed.
Today, though, a woman diagnosed with breast cancer who receives a recommendation for mastectomy is given an opportunity to discuss reconstruction. Depending on the province, a plastic surgeon is now part of the multidisciplinary team that includes her general surgeon and oncologist.
This change in approach ensures that a woman facing the imminent loss of a breast can make an informed choice about what steps, if any, she wants taken to replace that breast, says Dr. Laura Tate, a plastic surgeon and chief of surgery at Toronto East General Hospital, who performed both of Carol’s breast reconstructions.
A difficult decision
Breast reconstruction is a personal decision, she says. Some women are overwhelmed by the cancer diagnosis and don’t want to make any immediate decision about reconstruction. Some might just want the information on reconstruction to consider at a later date.
Others want to exercise the option of immediate reconstruction, although they may have different goals. Some, for example, want only breast “mounds” without nipples just to be able to fill their bra and be able to lean forward without a prosthetic popping out. Others want fully reconstructed breasts, complete with nipples.
Breast reconstruction is a very complex process that requires considerable skill and experience. Tate considers it one of the best examples of true plastic surgery. She says it’s very gratifying to achieve an esthetically pleasing symmetrical result. “A woman gets her body image back and feels like a whole person again.”
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