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Each year, the National Cancer Institute will diagnose breast cancer in more than 250,000 American women. Breast cancer can be treated with different therapies, including chemotherapy or radiation, but a common treatment is removal of breast tissue, or mastectomy. For three women who decided to undergo a mastectomy as part of their treatment for breast cancer, the procedure was as decisive as it was decisive.
The American Cancer Society explains that there are six types of mastectomy. Simple mastectomies remove all breast tissue; Double or bilateral mastectomies are simple mastectomies performed on both breasts, as Angelina Jolie had done in 2013 to reduce her chances of developing breast cancer. Radical mastectomies remove both the breast tissue and other surrounding tissues, including the lymph nodes under the nearby armpit. Mastectomies spared by the nipple remove the breast tissue, but leave the nipple behind, while partial mastectomies remove only one segment of the breast. Women can opt for mastectomies for different reasons. they are often part of breast cancer treatment, but people with a BRCA gene mutation, such as Jolie, may also opt for preventive mastectomies to reduce their risk of cancer.
The three women who spoke to Bustle said that mastectomies can be exceptionally difficult. "Breast cancer broke my face during my treatment," Sara told Bustle. "Like all the most difficult things in life, we are broken, then we get back together, I am a better and stronger version of myself now, but I am still broken in some places."
Here's how three women had a mastectomy and how their journey changed them.
Christine
My mastectomies never made me feel less than a woman. It is possible that I feel more feminine now, even without scars, only silicone and tattoos for nipples. One of the reasons I feel so much like a woman now, is that a mountain of women has come forward in front of me because of my cancer and that they fought for me, month after month.
I feel more than ever in a movement and a club. I may not feel anything physically in my breasts or nipples, but I wear my mastectomy scars with pride and love not only for myself, but also for the female race. We are stronger together and for me, I won the war, so I'm proud.
Sara
At 34, I had stage 2 invasive breast cancer that spread to the lymph nodes. I had a radical double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction (where they put temporary expanders filled with saline solution to make way for regular silicone implants) in September 2017. In the following year, I had I had chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and just two weeks ago, the last implants were placed.
Most post-mastectomy pictures are moving. they leave you feeling the power – and sometimes even the seduction – of a survivor's scars. But when I look in the mirror, I do not see power or sex appeal, at least for the moment. I do not recognize myself. Strangely, I do not recognize myself in old photos either. As a recent survivor, I float in a no man's land, not knowing how to relate to my physical body. I will never have normal breasts again. I will never have nipples again. I will never have a feeling in this part of my body again.
The removal of the bandages after the last implantation procedure was traumatic. I was not prepared for the inflating impact that would have on the appearance, so I panicked when I saw how bad they were. They have improved since that time, but they still do not look good. There are strange wrinkles in my skin, they are not round and, of course, there are still no nipples.
The surgery is not fun, and knowing that they will never be so beautiful makes me hesitant to undergo more surgeries. It seems that acceptance could be a better route. That said, I have never regretted my decision to undergo a double mastectomy, not even a moment. The fact of having caught my cancer was a miracle because I did not have any mass. I had a six year old daughter in 2017 and being here to watch her grow is the most important thing in the world for me. But what I did was an amputation, not a "boob job" and I did it to save my life. I would like more people to be aware of this.
Kaitlin
Everything has happened in stages because in reality you are afflicted with a loss. First of all, denial. I did not want to look at my body because I was afraid of what I would discover as my "new" reality. Then, slowly, I allowed myself to discover what was this new norm – how did it feel different, how did it become different, and how did this new appearance shape it? what I felt for myself?
I was married at the time of the operation and, although I knew it was not the intention of my partner, it made me feel unattractive after my mastectomy . I am still working through some of these tasks today to allow other men to see my breasts. However, my evolution had the power. So, f * cking ability. I am now empowered by my new "me!" I love my scars, I love the shape of my breasts, I love their look in a white t-shirt with jeans! I start a business in empowering and educating women at risk of cancer. But especially when I look at them in the mirror, I am empowered because I chose life! So, this new body is my body. And he is healthier than ever, beautiful and strong.
According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 36% of American women with early-stage breast cancer undergo a mastectomy, while 58% of women with advanced stage cancer opt for the procedure. A double mastectomy, in particular, is becoming more common, according to a study conducted in 2016 – which means that chances are increasing that you know someone who has undergone the procedure. It is important to listen to these stories and understand this experience that can dramatically change lives.
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