Veronica Kulatissa, Teacher Trainer
I had a double mastectomy and survived breast cancer.
Yep, it’s that dreaded ‘C’ word – cancer. When I discovered that I had a painful cyst on my left breast near the nipple at the age of 45, I had it removed. Having lost my mum and best friend to cancer, I did not want to take any chances. Further tests and scans revealed more cysts in both my breasts. The doctor mentioned that I just had to return in three months for a follow-up check-up since none of the other cysts was malignant or had A-typical cells. To be honest, I was pretty shaken up during the initial stages because the doctor did not make me feel reassured during the consultations. I also couldn’t bear the thought of not being around for my three children. I was finally lucky enough to find another doctor whom I felt much more comfortable with. She informed me that since my mum had died of cancer, I had a 48% chance of developing it. It was then that I made the life-changing decision, to remove both my breasts. Once the doctor agreed to the surgery, I had to see a psychiatrist to assure that I was of sound mind and certain of my decision. If you’re wondering how I managed to pull through and stay strong throughout the whole process, I owe it all to the constant support of my family and friends. For someone who has been so active all my life, it struck me that surgery might slow me down a tad bit and I have to admit that I also experienced pangs of depression in between. I’m thankful that my doctor was so supportive all the way through the procedure. When I woke up three and a half hours after the surgery, I had bandages across my chest and felt the searing pain. The next two weeks would be difficult times up ahead. Then when the doctor removed the dressing, I burst into tears. However, from that moment on, I had no regrets about removing my breasts. My body might have changed a little bit, but I’m still the same on the inside. What I have learnt that it is important to surround yourself with family, friends and loved ones, before and after surgery. It makes a world of difference because you’ll realise just how important they are in your life! If any of you are or have been in a similar situation, feel free to reach out to me at veroniquechrismicsha@hotmail.com. I have learnt so much from this experience and have no qualms about sharing it with everyone.