Eng 110 - Patience

Troy Russell

Erin Price

English 110

3-12-17

Patience

In March of 2013, my wife (Tonja), was diagnosed with breast cancer.  The period between diagnosis and treatment seem to be the most stressful times of our lives.  Trying to understand what was in front of her was overwhelming.

At first, she was diagnosed with a small spot on her left breast.  After discussing her options with the doctor, she decided to do a partial mastectomy.  They removed the cancer cells and the tissue around it.  Everything had seemed to go well, and all cancerous tissue removed,.

After the surgery, she had to go for testing every week for two months.  Nearing the end of the second month, a lump showed up in her right breast.  At this point, she was back to square one.  We talked to the surgeon and the plastic surgeon, to see what direction to go now.  They recommended a full mastectomy, and the removal of the lymph nodes under her right arm.  The removal of the lymph nodes under right arm, was to make sure the cancer had not spread throughout her body.  The doctors were afraid that the cancer showing up this early in another area could be a sign of it spreading.

After the second surgery, it was a long recovery.  The emotional toll it took on her was very hard.  Thankfully, my job allowed me to take off during this trying time.  Dealing with daily functions with the restrictions, soreness, and drain tubes was hard for her to manage.  She was not allowed to pick up anything over five pounds.  She could only take a sponge bath, and was unable to wash her hair. Tonja is an independent person. She hated that I was having to care for her all the time, and take care of everything around the house.  

Once the healing process was over, she began the road of reconstructive surgery.  Her third surgery began with expanders placed under the skin.  The expanders would have small amounts of silicone injected every ten days, to expand the skin to the natural look.  This took several trips and some uncomfortable pain for her.  Once this was achieved, the expanders were removed, and replaced with silicone implants.  This took several weeks of more down time.

Now that all the surgeries were complete, Tonja was faced with the possibility of radiation or chemotherapy.  During her healing process, she used her down time to research and understand her options.  No one in her family had ever been diagnosed with breast cancer.  She was unclear in what direction to take.  Research would indicate that the treatments could make things worse than the overall effect.  The research she had looked at, the treatments could cause many other complications, complications she was just not willing to risk.  Her deciding factor was to meet with her Radiologist and to get a second opinion.  They discussed the type of cancer that she had, the path reports that were reporting back and made her final decision to waive all treatments, and keep in close contact with her awesome doctors.    I can proudly say that she has been cancer free four years now.