I was diagnosed with cancer in the fall of 1996. It was not severe, but it was spread out over the left breast. I had a mastectomy with immediate reconstruction with an implant. I was cancer free for 12 years. In February of 09 I found a lump in the right breast. It turned out to be cancer. It was a different kind than the first.In April I had a biopsy that turned out to be the lumpectomy. I was going to have radiation since I still had the implant in the left side. In June I had an MRI to help set up the radiation treatments before vacation and then left for two weeks. While on vacation the implant started to do strange things. It got harder and started to swell. I did not know what was happening. When I got home I found out that the MRI showed that the implant was rupturing. I met with the radiation oncologist and then the surgeon. I decided to go with a bilateral mastectomy instead of repeating the implant and then undergoing 7 weeks of radiation. I had my surgery in July. I am recovering and looking forward to many more years of life. Everything happens for a reason. I felt very comforted with my decision.

Martha
Champaign, IL