Rocki

For 20 years now I’ve been dealing with multiple health issues. Some are chronic life altering ones and others are flat out annoying. I had a hysterectomy at age 29. Stage 1 Melanoma at age 41 and multiple skin cancers since then. I also have anxiety and depression. One of my docs tagged me with Rocki (as in Balboa) because I never give up. Anyway, I start with this brief intro so that you understand a little of my background.

Due to Fibrocystic breasts I had yearly mammograms since age 40, until a horrible experience at age 46, so I stopped going. Five years later I ended up with breast cancer which was found by accident (admittedly, I did not do monthly self-checks, but did so periodically). It all started with an itch in my left breast, I felt an odd lump but figured it was just my lumpy breasts & hesitated on getting it checked out until my hubby convinced me otherwise.

Fast forward past the docs, mammos, ultrasounds, breast biopsy, etc. The lump was nothing, but my right breast was the problem: High-Grade 3 DCIS (solid type with necrosis) in multiple locations throughout my right breast. This type of DCIS typically has no symptoms, is aggressive, fast growing, more likely to become invasive cancer & a higher chance of recurrence. I stopped having mammos 5 years prior. I don’t know when it all started. I wasn’t going to go have it checked out. That was hard to swallow.

My surgeon informed me that I had to stop my estrogen and he’d have to remove some lymph nodes. He explained my options, but said due to it was widespread and the locations, a single mastectomy w/ lymph node removal was recommended and that I could have reconstruction. Without hesitation, as I had already decided, I chose a double mastectomy w/out reconstruction. I wanted to be flat.

That was 8 years ago. This experience changed me, made me even stronger than I was. But living flat 24/7 has given me the confidence & bravery which I never had before. And freedom. Unconditional freedom to be who I am, unapologetically, wear whatever I want,
& live happily flat out loud.

I’m trying to do my part as an advocate to show aesthetic flat closure is normal and a viable choice