My story.

Hi, I am a true believer in early detection and I am soooooooo looking forward to participating in the May 2009 ride from Brisbane to Sydney.

I guess I am just going to tell how it was, as I do believe it is really quite amazing how one's guardian angel can be there for one.

Until August 2005, I had spent over 20 years raising my two children on my own, working full time shift work in a fairly high powered and somewhat stressful career, during which time I also successfully completed university and ran my home. In 1999 I was diagnosed with work related stress known as Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, was off work for a short time and then spent five years working my way back to being a fully functional member of my employment. A job to which I was very dedicated.

So now I am in 2005 and it was probably around May or June that I noticed a very small lump in my right breast. I decided to monitor it. Yes, you may think what a silly woman, but please read on. My reasons being, there was no family history. I had heard much about breast cancer and I had made inquiries and answered questionnaires, and found that my chances of getting breast cancer was less than 5% at age 85 (no I am not 85 LOL). I was also a very healthy person, exercised and was very busy getting my career back on track as much of the work relating to promotion I found necessary to complete in my own time.

In August 2005 I went to my general physician and requested that we investigate the lump (although there appeared to be no obvious changes) I had the time and decided that it should be investigated. He sent me for an ultrasound, which surprisingly found four other very small almost miniscule lumps in the right breast and two in the left breast. I was told by the technician that the smaller ones were nothing to be concerned about. They conducted a fine needle biopsy on the larger lump the following day. Two weeks later I returned to my general physician and was given the news that there was nothing wrong with the lump, it was purely breast tissue. I requested that the lump be removed and he refused citing that there was nothing wrong with it even after admitting that some lumps do have a tendency to change structure. Subsequently I left, rather annoyed with my doctor. However, I did monitor the lump and subsequently in February/March 2006 I returned to my doctor requesting a referral to a surgeon as the lump had increased in size and was becoming quite tender.

After visiting the surgeon, I had the lump removed on 29 April 2006, returned to him on 8 May 2006 to be told that I had breast cancer. Grade 2 invasive ductal carcinoma. I read the pathology report and what now sticks out in my mind is the sentence where it is documented that the tumour has sections of benign hyperplasia.

I was sent for mammograms and ultra sounds and there appeared to be nothing apparent other than the lump. The surgeon then wanted to do an auxiliary clearance  with centinal node biopsy's then followed by localised radio therapy only (in the event there is nothing in the lymph's). I requested that he just remove the breast, however, that didn't happen, so I went with what he wanted to do.

The auxiliary clearance was performed and at this time the surgeon also removed the lump from the left breast, which had been found to increase in size during this time.Upon returning to the surgeon he informed me that he had cleared the area of the lump and there was no evidence of cancer in the centinal nodes (yippee no chemo) but then went on the say that the pathology had found Grade 3 Ductal carcinoma on the outer edge of the incision in the lower right quadrant of the breast. He then stated that he wanted to 'see if he could clear the area' and again I requested that he remove the breast, to which he declined. After the surgery for the clearance was performed (now operation number three) I returned to the surgeon to be told that the breast now has to be removed because the area could not be cleared. So in August 2006 my right breast was removed and at the same time a skin expanding prosthesis was implanted to allow for skin expansion for a reconstruction. When the breast was sent to pathology they also found grade three ductal carcinoma in the upper right quadrant of the breast, so how luck am I. No chemo therapy and no radiotherapy, I was pleased with the result. The reconstruction of the right breast was done in November 2006 with augmentation. I did not like the reconstruction as the reconstructive surgeon used a shape implant that I did not like and it looked so different to my other breast I was devastated. So he agreed to redo the reconstruction but not until six months had elapsed.

In the meantime, I continued to have mammograms and ultrasounds conducted on the left breast, two sets three months apart. On the second set of tests another lump was found in the left breast. I began to become quite concerned and informed my surgeon that I wanted the breast removed. He wanted to perform tests first, which he did. The tests for the lump came back benign (breast tissue only) however, I still insisted that the breast be removed, why, because the cancer that was located in the right breast (being the reason the breast was removed) was never detected by any mammogram or ultrasound and changes in tissue structure cannot be detected with ultrasound, so the surgeon agreed to remove my left breast and again at the same time, fitted a skin expanding prosthesis for skin expansion for reconstruction.

In February 2008 I had a second reconstruction, this time with augmentation of a shape of my choosing. The plastic surgeon was concerned about the shape I had chosen and stated that it probably would not look as good as my last reconstruction, he further stated that he probably could not improve on the last one.

After that reconstruction, I was ecstatic, I told the plastic surgeon he had excelled himself, they were a bit too close together but that was to be rectified at the time of reconstructing the nipples. I had my last operation in October 2008, the plastic surgeon rectified the placement of the augmentation but was not able to reconstruct the nipples due to the skin over the pectoral area being too thin, so now they will be tattooed on. My breasts are almost identical to what I had prior to all my surgeries, how wonderful is that?

And in June 2008 my oncologist informed me that he has no need to ever see me again and I am on no anti cancer medication. I am thrilled.

I have been so fortunate to have such a great team of doctors and nurses looking after me, but I guess the reason my story is a little long is that I really wanted to point out that although mammograms and ultrasounds are the best we have, it is very necessary for us women to be really in tune with our selves and listen to what we, our bodies and our intuition (or guardian angel) tell us and self examination, because with out that I believe I would have had a far harder journey and may not even be here today.

Many women I know personally or know of who were diagnosed or had a mastecomy/s around the time I was diagnosed has either now left us or has been diagnosed with a secondary cancer, so I consider my self to be privileged and ecstatically excited to be in a position to participate in this ride, (and hopefully many more) to help those of us who are still on their journey or are to yet embark on the journey.

So I would be so pleased and appreciative if you could help me raise $5000.00 to support breast cancer research to help save more women.

In 2007, I was diagnosed with a recurrence of my work related issues but that's for another day.

Today, I am no longer annoyed with my general physician and I do believe those tiny minuscule limps were the ductal carcinoma as those little lumps were in the lower right quadrant.

Thank you for reading my profile.

For my good friend Sharon and for Christine, the sister of a friend my heart is with you both.

Everyone please, keep well, stay safe and be happy.

Cheers,
Robyn