{"id":26834,"date":"2021-03-05T21:38:40","date_gmt":"2021-03-05T21:38:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cmshub.wpengine.com\/?p=337112"},"modified":"2024-11-03T15:15:45","modified_gmt":"2024-11-03T15:15:45","slug":"breast-cancer-patient-is-accused-of-having-body-image-issues-after-expressing-desire-to-go-flat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/breast-cancer-patient-is-accused-of-having-body-image-issues-after-expressing-desire-to-go-flat\/","title":{"rendered":"Breast Cancer Patient Is Accused of Having \u201cBody Image Issues\u201d After Expressing Desire to Go Flat"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Sue Garmonsway<\/a> says she was in \u201ccomplete shock\u201d when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019. She had no symptoms and never expected anything like that to happen to her.<\/span><\/p>\n

Six weeks later, she underwent a single mastectomy on her right breast. As soon as she woke up from surgery, she knew she\u2019d prefer it if both of them were gone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about symmetry, looking in the mirror and seeing two sides that look the same,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: Facebook\/Sue Garmonsway<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sue also mentions that having one breast means she still has to wear a bra and that she has to use a prosthesis for her missing breast. She\u2019d rather have the freedom not to wear anything under her shirt if she doesn\u2019t want to.<\/span><\/p>\n

So a year later, Sue went to her surgeon at the Waikato District Health Board<\/a> to see if she could have a secondary mastectomy on the unaffected breast. This procedure would help ensure that her cancer didn\u2019t come back in that breast and help her feel more symmetrical and \u201cnormal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: Facebook\/1 NEWS<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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However, the surgeon disagreed with Sue\u2019s plan, stating that she must be \u201cstruggling with body image issues<\/a>.\u201d The surgeon immediately referred her to a counselor to address an apparent psychological problem.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI did find that incredibly upsetting,\u201d Sue says. \u201cThe assumption was that I was struggling with body image issues, and a referral was made for some psychological counseling, which I found surprising.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: Facebook\/Sue Garmonsway<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to a Waikato DHB spokesperson, \u201cprophylactic (preventative) mastectomy may well be offered in a context of persisting high risk.\u201d In other words, because Sue\u2019s risk of recurring breast cancer was low, she was not eligible for the second surgery.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Sue is more than just not eligible for a second surgery. If her surgeon\u2019s words are to be believed, then she shouldn\u2019t even want<\/em> the second surgery.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just a constant feeling of being in limbo and wanting some closure,\u201d Sue says.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: Facebook\/1 NEWS<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Luckily, however, that surgeon wasn\u2019t the only opinion Sue got on the matter. In 2020, while much of the healthcare system was shut down or delayed due to COVID-19, Sue saw a private surgeon<\/a> to talk about some benign cysts that had been found in her left breast. While she was there, she asked about having the breast removed altogether and was told she could do that if she wanted to.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sue\u2019s second surgery is now scheduled for May, and she\u2019ll finally be able to get her closure and feel better about herself. However, she says she feels awful for the people who can\u2019t afford private care and aren\u2019t always able to get their closure.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: Facebook\/Sue Garmonsway<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A spokesperson for the Breast Cancer Foundation<\/a> confirms that patients should be supported and guided through their journeys, but the ultimate decision should always belong to the patient.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cOur view on this is that women should be able to have thorough conversations with their breast surgeons about removing their healthy breast, and have the option to do so,\u201d the spokesperson says.<\/span><\/p>\n

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