Perspectives on treatment pathways – Kathryn

Kathryn realized how attached she was to her breasts and how this might be different for doctors who are mostly concerned about saving your life.

Transcript

Interviewer: So when your cancer came back you didn’t have chemo and radiation as well?

No they just took the whole breast off. I said forget it this, I should have done it in 2003. All those four surgeries, I should have listened and I should have taken the whole thing off, but again, I was vain at that time. I didn’t want to have a mastectomy, I really didn’t and I was adamant that I didn’t, so that’s it. But, but I really do believe that if I had had a mammogram and an ultrasound and maybe radiation on my breast I wouldn’t have had to have a mastectomy, but it’s in the cards it is what it is. You know what, I got very upset with myself, I made a very big deal about a mastectomy, it really bothered me and because I blamed the doctor and I was pissed off that I listened to the doctor. A friend of mine, I remember, I went to the support group once and she told me she had done her scan and her cancer was in her head. And I said to myself “How could you complain about losing a breast when my friend is worried about losing her life?” And I actually wrote my doctor a letter and I apologized. I said “I made a big deal” I said “It’s only a breast.” And that’s why the doctors treat you, to them breasts are nothing you can lose a breast you’re not going to lose a life and it’s true the least of your problems are your boobs and you realize that.

Go back