6 Hours In Surgery, 6 Days In Hospital, 6 Weeks Recovery.
Words: Sandy Wilson
These were the words used by plastic surgeon, Mr Patrick Lyall at pre-admission to describe what my life would be like for the next seven weeks after a breast reconstruction. Definitely not the sign of the devil, but a wonderful and exciting new chapter in my journey with breast cancer – TRAM flap reconstruction and a bonus tummy tuck to boot.
My journey had started five years earlier. I was 49 years and looking forward to a big celebration for my 50th. My first free mammogram with Breast Screen Aoteoroa on 23 April, 2005 had me recalled to the Assessment clinic on May 18. A core biopsy that day revealed an infiltrating ductal carcinoma – intermediate grade and strongly oestrogen and progesterone receptor positive. Two days later, Friday afternoon,
I received the results from the surgeon and the treatment options were outlined.
Unbelievable!
No cancer of any kind in my family and yet now my entire world had been shaken by this news.
Being a very practical person, I told my children first and then proceeded to gather my support network.
I spent a lot of time on the Internet that weekend researching breast cancer statistics and information, and preparing for a further meeting with breast care nurse, Margreet Simpson the following week.
I arrived at that meeting with an A4 page of questions, the first of which was, ‘Show me this ‘thing’ inside me’. I had desperately tried to find something positive on the Internet to focus on, but had failed. I wanted to know how to SURVIVE, not just how many women were diagnosed each year and how many died each year. These were statistics that I was unable to find at the time. Coincidentally, Kylie Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer around the same time. I remember feeling as if she was getting all the attention, that it was all about her. I felt like screaming at the world, “Ordinary women get breast cancer too, you know!” During that weekend I made the decision to have a mastectomy rather than six weeks radiation, mainly because I was on my own with two children to look after, 12 and 15, and there was no-one at home to run me backwards and forwards to the hospital for radiation treatment. Also because the cancer was ductal I could remove the breast, and ergo the cancer in one smooth swipe. No more milk ducts for it to lurk in – no more cancer – peace of mind!
Thirteen days later I had a right mastectomy and axillary dissection. From this point on it was a roller coaster ride of surgeons, tears, hospitals, outpatients, counsellors, tears, breast care nurses, doctors, drugs, more surgeons, tears, and more follow-ups, until finally it was three and a half years down the track and my final appointment with Mr Stephen Packer, the doctor who had performed the original surgery. He pronounced me fit and well and certainly good for another 20 years. Oh my gosh – does this mean I have to carry around this awful prosthesis for another 20 or so years? I found this to be the worst part of having a mastectomy. Never did I regret my decision to have a mastectomy, never did I see myself as being disfigured, but I had constantly struggled with wearing the prosthesis and having my choices taken away from me in terms of my choice of clothes. Apart from this I felt that I had dealt with having breast cancer and all that went with it. So, after hearing this from Stephen I said, ‘What about reconstruction?’ “Well, actually” he said, “Patrick Lyall is just down the hall, would you like to speak to him?” Patrick Lyall was the newest addition to the DHB, a plastic surgeon of some note, and I had heard was doing wonders in the area of reconstructive surgery. Patrick came in, introduced himself, asked me to show him my tummy, and said, “Stand like a bloke. Yes, you’ll do – I’ll make an appointment for you soon and we can discuss a tram flap reconstruction and what is involved”. Great! Fantastic! Decision made!
A few months later I met with Patrick again and he discussed with me what was involved (scary stuff), possibly involving five different procedures, the big one being the second. But by this time I had made some enquiries through the wonderful breast care nurses and spoken to, and met with, a woman who had had the operation, seen the results and I was quite looking forward to it. I discovered that Patrick Lyall is one of Southern DHB’s secret weapons. He, along with Mr Will McMillan and the rest of his team are performing amazing feats for all manner of patients requiring plastic surgery, not just reconstructive breast surgery. Anyway, I signed all the consent forms and left feeling quite excited and a little apprehensive about the surgery. However, the decision was made!
As is often the case with government funded surgery these days, the months went by without any notice from the hospital. Just when I had almost decided it was possibly too much to go through, I received a call saying that I was booked in for the first part of the surgery in three weeks time. Decision time! Did I really want to put myself through with this? This is serious surgery! I talked to my sister-in-law and she said, ‘If you don’t do it now, you could regret it in the future’. So true! I would have the surgery. It was time to get organised – get my life sorted and prepare for the main event. This brings me back to the night before the operation – pre-admission with Patrick and Will. “666” says Patrick, “6 hours surgery, 6 days in hospital and 6 weeks recovery.”
Let’s do it!
The surgery was scheduled for the next day, Friday. I arrived at the hospital a little apprehensive, but mainly excited. I was confident that I was putting myself in the hands of a fantastic surgeon and his team, who would look after me to the best of their abilities. After a couple of hiccups over the weekend with the recovery, Monday morning arrived and I was sitting up in bed in the required deck-chair position, with a grin from ear to ear – I had a brand new breast, somewhat still swollen, but looking beautiful and healthy and a lovely flat tummy as a bonus. I had the biggest piece of tubi-grip I’d ever seen around my tummy, I walked with a zimmer frame, and I spent my days and nights in the deck-chair position. Each day got better and better and the grin got bigger and brighter. Patrick and Will visited on alternate days with promises of drains being removed if I can do laps of the ward. Each day I was able to walk a little more upright and be more mobile. I was amazed at the feelings that consumed me. I feel like I have been let out of jail – my choices have been returned to me.
I cannot believe how the surgery has impacted on my well-being. I walk taller, back straight, and my confidence has returned.
I struggle to put into words how grateful I am to Patrick Lyall and his team at Southern DHB. Thank you Patrick!
Sandy is raising funds for Healthcare
Otago Charitable Trust
www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/SandyWilson
Sandy Wilson
