Dr Kelly Fleming

What experiences in life helped you grow the most?

I haven’t posted anything in quite some time.

It is not because I have forgotten everyone. I’ve been busy dealing with a medical issue.

One of the experiences in my life that helped me grow so much was an unexpected turn of events when I was 40.

Due to a high possibility of genetic breast cancer, I was scheduled for a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy. It was supposed to be a simple one time surgery that sent me on a four year journey with four surgeries instead of one.

My original mammogram and ultrasound did not show any cancerous cells.

My first surgery went well, everything came back clear margins.

Three months later and during extra treatment for unexpected complications, a growth was discovered. It was a rapid growth, unfortunately I was too ill to have surgery.

Nine months later, I was scheduled for surgery and my doctor had to dig under my ribcage and deeper into the other side to remove everything. During this surgery she discovered that I had 95% cancer cells in my right breast and it was a blessing in disguise that the lump had developed while I was still in treatment from my original surgery.

Less than one year later, another growth was discovered and once again I was scheduled for surgery. My surgery was planned for the last week of August in 2015.

Two weeks to the day before my surgery, my Mum, with whom I was very close, passed away suddenly from a massive heart attack.

During my surgery, my doctor had to remove everything down to the muscle sheath. I was sure I was going to be fine.

Things took a turn in 2016 sorting a follow-up where it was discovered that a lump had developed over my sternum.

In May 2017, I went in for my fourth  surgery to remove what turned out to be a benign tumour.

I spent the next few years worried it would return although the chances were less than 5%.

I passed my 5 year mark and took a deep sigh of relief.

This past summer I noticed I had some pain but I ignored it. It could be a number of things. Breast cancer was not even on my list of what it could be.

At the end of September 2023, I noticed a pea size bump. It was tiny, I wasn’t worried. My little guy was dying and I didn’t know how much time I would have with him so all my focus was on him.

After he passed away on November 17th, I took time to get accustomed to life without him.

In December I noticed that what was once the size of a pea had grown quite a bit so I contacted my surgeon from before and I also made an appointment to see my family doctor.

Two weeks after that appointment, I was scheduled to see my surgeon.

I came away from that appointment with a big shock. It wasn’t the lump she was concerned about but the areas that I had previously noticed but ignored where I had pain.

What I had anticipated to be an easy procedure, will in fact be another major surgery as she will need to do some digging to get everything out.

Less than a 5% chance it could even be remotely breast cancer. And here I am preparing for my fifth surgery.

Every concrete thought I had blissfully savoured since 2017 was shattered the day of my appointment.

In my first two surgeries, I immediately stopped breathing as soon as I was put out. After the second surgery, they had a terrible time trying to wake me and stabilizing my breathing.

During my third  surgery, they had difficulties regulating my heart.

All three times I found myself waking in ICU.

My fourth surgery was done under local anaesthetic while I was awake.

My doctor has planned a different way to do this surgery which will require me to breathe on my own while partially asleep asking with local anaesthetic.

God willing, she will get everything out that needs to come out and I will never have to face this journey again.

This journey has been a challenge to me but a journey of tremendous growth – physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Breast cancer takes people on a wild ride they never wanted to experience.

It is non-discriminate and it can happen to both women and men at any age. I urge every woman to get regular mammograms as well as ultrasounds. I also urge men to consider getting regular ultrasounds.

All cancer types stink, but my experience is with breast cancer. If you have a genetic background of breast cancer don’t try to fool yourself that it won’t happen to you.

If you’ve had breast cancer, don’t skip your yearly scans like I did. They could save your life.

For women with a genetic background of breast cancer, please get tested to see if you carry the genetic gene.

God bless everyone.