Interview 30

Age at interview: 57

Age at diagnosis: 55

Brief Outline: Diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999. Under went a mastectomy and was given radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Comments on why she opted not to have breast reconstruction.

Even when I go for swimming, you know, I have to wear that costume.

It's not the same thing, you know, as your own breast.

And the doctor asked me if I can have you know, new breast.

I said no, I refused because that operation is the worst.

So that was very difficult, so I refused.
 

Describes her severe side effects and why she chose not to have more chemotherapy.

Anyway I had to go ahead with chemotherapy. Chemotherapy was a very, very bad experience. Very bad experience. I used to feel sick. All the time I used to feel bloated, you know, bloated feeling.

And even my eyesight, I started feeling blurred. My vision started becoming quite blurred.

And in the beginning it wasn't so bad but second time, third time, it was a very painful experience anyway. And I used to have a lot of temperature and very bad side effects.

And then I had half of my chemotherapy, then they asked me to go ahead for radiotherapy. I was pleased because chemotherapy was very painful. So then doctor told me after six months that I should have another part of chemotherapy. Then I refused. 

I said' "No doctor. Whatever happens I don't want any more chemotherapy. I'll leave to that God, okay?" So I didn't have any chemotherapy. The doctor said that' "It's okay, it's up to you."

I said' "Is it possible, can you tell me how you can find out. Even one cell can multiply in millions, right? "So how you can be sure with more chemo?" Right?

So doctor left it up to me. He said it's up to me' "If you don't want to go ahead with another chemo, okay." So I didn't.

Explains why she accepted that a mastectomy was the best option for her.

So anyway, so I visited hospital and I requested the doctors. And I said, well it's better because I had cancer in the front part of my breast, very in the nipple, right. So I thought it's very easy if they just, you know, operate on that part of me. But the doctor didn't agree.

The doctor said' "No, if we do that it may be 75% assurance, so mastectomy is the best thing." 

I wasn't happy with the mastectomy but anyway in the end I had to agree because my doctor also said it's better if you go ahead with the mastectomy. So I was very hesitant to have, you know, the whole breast removed.

Anyway, so I had a mastectomy and I stayed in hospital I think eight to nine days.