By Lauren O’Connell
Shortly after finding out I had breast cancer, I received the diagnosis of stage 2A Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. This is the most common type of breast cancer. It starts in the ducts of the breast (the tubes that carry milk) and then invades nearby tissues. Stage 2A typically suggests that the cancer is locally advanced but hasn’t spread to distant parts of the body. Treatment usually involves a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and possibly hormone therapy or targeted therapy, depending on the cancer’s specific characteristics and the patient’s overall health.
My breast surgeon and oncologist recommended a lumpectomy instead of a mastectomy. They assured me that, for cases like mine, a lumpectomy had just as good a track record. A lumpectomy, also known as breast-conserving surgery or partial mastectomy, is a surgical procedure used to treat breast cancer. During a lumpectomy, the surgeon removes the tumor and a small margin of surrounding healthy tissue from the breast. The goal is to eliminate the cancerous tissue while preserving as much of the breast as possible. My medical team left the final decision to me, but since I’m not a breast cancer expert, I went with their recommendation. Plus, I much preferred the idea of preserving my breast.
When I initially got to the Mediclinic City Hospital in Dubai, I had to get a substance injected into my nipple pre-surgery. This was to aid the surgeon during the operation. I was nervous because I was told it would hurt by both the medical team and a few breast cancer Facebook groups I joined, but surprisingly it was that bad. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't pleasant either, but I was expecting much more pain.
This was my first surgery and I almost felt like I was in a movie. I had to wait in a holding area for a while and heard lots of people moaning post-surgery. The nurse explained to me that this was a normal reaction post-anesthesia and they wouldn't even remember it. I wondered if I'd do the same and then figured, what does it even matter?
Getting wheeled into the OR was a surreal experience. I felt myself get lightheaded as I looked around at the medical equipment inside the theater. I had to hop off my hospital bed and onto the surgery bed. I was very intentional in my movements as I was afraid I'd faint. The medical team was so kind to me and my breast surgeon, Dr. Veronica, made me feel so comfortable. I knew I was in good hands.
The next thing I knew a warm blanket was placed on me. After that, total darkness. I woke up in the recovery room and Dr. Veronica told me the surgery had gone longer than expected. Unfortunately, there was a complication- cancer had been found in my sentinel lymph node. The two biopsies I had showed that the sentinel node did not have cancer, but my scans showed it did. I knew there was a chance some might be there.
My oncologist initially thought I could skip the chemo with just a lumpectomy and radiation, but nope—I was in for a rollercoaster with 16 intense rounds of chemo. I was bummed to say the least. Knowing I had yet another mountain to climb while feeling woozy from the anesthesia made me just want to rest.
The care I received from the Mediclinic Dubai team was outstanding. From the day of my first GP appointment when I felt the lump, to now was seamless, quick, and I felt like I had the best doctors in the world on my team. I knew that no matter what was in store for me, I was in good and safe hands.
Recovery from the surgery was no picnic. I was basically glued to my back, couldn’t move much, and had to keep my chest and underarm bandages dry. I'm a side sleeper so I found the night times to be very challenging. Eventually, I just surrendered to the chaos of it all and tried my best to be as comfortable as possible given my new limitations.
I had a drain sticking out of my side to collect fluid—super fun. On the bright side, the healing process, while slow, showed progress. Each week got a bit easier, and by the ten-week mark, I felt back to normal. Having a lumpectomy in Dubai was a much better option for me than flying back to my home country, the United States of America. A few people asked if I would have my surgeries and treatments back home but I was confident in the medical care in Dubai.
I did have two more surgeries. The first was to remove more tissue from my breast because the margins weren’t completely clear. I felt like a pro going back into the OR and to be totally honest, looked forward to the warm blanket. My medical team wanted to make sure every last cancerous cell was gone to prevent any chance of recurrence. When Dr. Veronica broke the news to my husband and I (he came to every single appointment with me), we were both shocked althought intuitively, I felt it coming. I remember my husband did a big sigh and gave me a look like he wished he could get the surgery for me. Thankfully, everything checked out fine. The second surgery was to get a port put into my chest for the chemo infusions. Compared to the initial surgery, both of these felt like a walk in the park.
As tough as the lumpectomy was, it was nothing compared to what came next—chemotherapy. I had no idea what was in store for me, but I knew deep down that I wasn’t even close to reaching the peak of this mountain. Looking back, I was just at the base, gearing up for the steep climb ahead.
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