Hi, I'm Tracey, and I've completed all my treatments for breast cancer.
It was my first time doing a mammogram and I discovered I had stage 0 breast cancer. Otherwise, I did not experience any cancer symptoms. The doctor whom I first consulted could not perform a surgery on me as she had to go for a vacation. We decided to go for a second opinion, and seek appropriate treatment at the same time.
Even though it was stage 0, my husband and I were extremely nervous as I have a family history of breast and pancreas cancer.
I improved my eating habits and the level of physical activity.
My doctor only recommended mastectomy but I also opted for lymphadenectomy after discussing further with my doctor. I will also keep the cancer monitored through half-yearly mammograms. After deciding on this treatment plan, I felt highly motivated, hopeful, relieved and happy.
Fortunately, I didn’t experience any side effects from the surgery.
I carried on with the lifestyle changes I made after diagnosis.
When I was recovering, I feared not being able to have the same strength on my upper body where I had my mastectomy. I took the doctor’s advice and started to swim to help strengthen my upper body.
Although some time has passed since my diagnosis, I still feel as nervous as before.
My words for others are: “Do not give up and be brave.”
This patient's story is published and shared with their full consent. Any personal data that can be used to identify the patient has been omitted.
Click here for more information.