Hi, this is Poppi,
4 1/2 years ago I was diagnosed with duct carcinoma in situ. This means cancer was found in my milk ducts, but was contained within the breast, so no chemo (yay!). I had a mastectomy on the right breast. I had reconstruction but the implant looked flat and funny. I had it redone with a stouter implant. Two years later my body saw the implant as an intruder and wrapped in scar tissue and attached it to my rib cage, causing a dent in my ribs. It was a mess and had become painfull. I had it removed last January. I now have a lot loose skin and a puckery nipple, not to mention all the keloids (overgrown scarring).
I've been a hippie all my life and never could tolerate a bra. They drive me crazy! Nobody who knew me knew that I boycotted bras, because I was never tacky about it, and I was just small enough to pull it off. So now they give me a prosthesis to wear inside my bra. I gave it my best shot, I swear, but hated it so much. So then one day I thought "Who cares if someone can tell I'm one breast shy of a set? If anyone ever asks me I'll tell them simply I had breast cancer, I had the breast removed, and have you gotten your mammogram?" If they say "mammograms hurt! I don't want to get one!" then I tell them "the worse mammogram ever is not as painfull or devastating as having breast cancer. I was lucky to catch mine before I would've needed chemo." And hey! If anyone out there has only one breast, your mammogram should be half price.
Peace, Poppi