Kristy's saying ta-ta to the tatas
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It was during one of her morning showers, in May of 2014, that Kristy realized it had been some time since her last breast exam. Being only 26 at the time, it wasn't something she thought much about. Something nagged at her that morning to check the tatas, so she did, and there it was. A noticeable mass that could only be described as a fat baby carrot laying within her breast. In denial and fear, she had everyone feel it hoping that it was only something of her imagination, but it wasn't. She quickly got into her Dr, who referred her to a breast surgeon for another opinion. The mass was confirmed and measured and she was sent off for more testing. The mammogram and ultra sound revealed no abnormalities though the mass could be felt grinding beneath the ultra sound wand. She was given two options by the radiologist. Trust the mammogram results and go along with her life ignoring the existence of the mass, or fight for answers. Thankfully her surgeon is a women’s health advocate and wasn’t confident with leaving such a mass with the assumption that it was nothing. Kristy agreed to undergo a lumpectomy to remove the mass and send it off to pathology. At the time, Kristy was training and only weeks away from running her first half marathon. She begged her surgeon to schedule the lumpectomy for after her run, and she agreed. While Kristy was afraid, she never stopped living each day to the fullest. In June the lumpectomy was performed and the mass that had since been named "Casper" was found to be a Hamartoma.
A breast Hamartoma is an uncommon lesion composed of a number of native tissues growing in a disorganized way accounting for 3.9% of all breast tumors. Although hamartomas are usually benign, malignant transformation is possible. Breast cancer arising from a hamartoma has been reported. Because there is little known about hamartomas and they are often underestimated, the preferred treatment method is surgical removal.
Kristy didn’t let her lumpectomy slow her down. She bound herself in an ace bandage and ran a 5k just two weeks post lumpectomy. She reminded others of the importance of breast exams and she made weekly breast exams in the shower became part of her routine. It was two months after Kristy had her first lumpectomy that she found a new mass in both her right and left breasts. Hoping it was just scar tissue she waited until her 3 month follow up to have it addressed. The newest masses were indeed something of concern so she went through the same steps as she had before. Her mammogram and ultra sound showed nothing leaving us suspicious of more hamartomas. It was on December 30th that she had a double lumpectomy to remove what was found to be two nicely sized hamartomas.
The reoccurrence of these rare masses raised many questions and concerns. The idea of something bigger going on, such as Multiple Hamartoma Syndrome was the only thing that made sense. Being that Kristy was now only 27her surgeon didn’t want to jump to any major life choices and decided that it would be best to have a follow up every 3 months to watch any breast changes that may occur. It wasn’t even two months later that she had developed yet another mass. She met with her surgeon and the mass was confirmed. This was her 4th hamartoma in a 10 month span which pointed more at the idea of Multiple Hamartoma Syndrome/Cowden’s Syndrome. Cowden's is an under-diagnosed genetic condition which predisposes to development of hamartoma tumors. Lifetime cancer risks associated with CS are: 85.2% for breast cancer. While there is no treatment for the condition, preventative measures can be taken to help eliminate risks. Her surgeon suggested she have a double mastectomy due to her incidence rate. As hard of a choice it was to make, she knew it was the best for both her and her family.
As afraid as Kristy has been throughout her journey, she hasn’t ever stopped smiling. She is surrounded by an amazing support system, including myself and our 6 year old daughter. She is always happy to answer any questions and openly shares her experince with others. Her goal is to reach out to others and raise awareness by sharing her story in hopes that it will help another feel less alone. There are so many different breast conditions and diseases that affect women and lead to the removal of their breasts. It isn’t about saving the tata’s, it is about saving the women. She received the call today that the insurance has deemed the mastectomy as a medical necessity. Surgery has been set for Tuesday June16th at 12:30. While it has been a journey leading up unto this moment, she still has a long road ahead of her. As one could imagine her medical bills are plentiful and there are many items that she will need to help see her through her recovery. She will undergo a 5 hour operation that will include a double prophylactic subcutaneous mastectomy and the placement of tissue expanders. After her drain ports have been removed she will start the weekly expansion process that will prepare her tissue for the implants that will be placed months down the road.
Kristy's personal blog sharing her journey
A breast Hamartoma is an uncommon lesion composed of a number of native tissues growing in a disorganized way accounting for 3.9% of all breast tumors. Although hamartomas are usually benign, malignant transformation is possible. Breast cancer arising from a hamartoma has been reported. Because there is little known about hamartomas and they are often underestimated, the preferred treatment method is surgical removal.
Kristy didn’t let her lumpectomy slow her down. She bound herself in an ace bandage and ran a 5k just two weeks post lumpectomy. She reminded others of the importance of breast exams and she made weekly breast exams in the shower became part of her routine. It was two months after Kristy had her first lumpectomy that she found a new mass in both her right and left breasts. Hoping it was just scar tissue she waited until her 3 month follow up to have it addressed. The newest masses were indeed something of concern so she went through the same steps as she had before. Her mammogram and ultra sound showed nothing leaving us suspicious of more hamartomas. It was on December 30th that she had a double lumpectomy to remove what was found to be two nicely sized hamartomas.
The reoccurrence of these rare masses raised many questions and concerns. The idea of something bigger going on, such as Multiple Hamartoma Syndrome was the only thing that made sense. Being that Kristy was now only 27her surgeon didn’t want to jump to any major life choices and decided that it would be best to have a follow up every 3 months to watch any breast changes that may occur. It wasn’t even two months later that she had developed yet another mass. She met with her surgeon and the mass was confirmed. This was her 4th hamartoma in a 10 month span which pointed more at the idea of Multiple Hamartoma Syndrome/Cowden’s Syndrome. Cowden's is an under-diagnosed genetic condition which predisposes to development of hamartoma tumors. Lifetime cancer risks associated with CS are: 85.2% for breast cancer. While there is no treatment for the condition, preventative measures can be taken to help eliminate risks. Her surgeon suggested she have a double mastectomy due to her incidence rate. As hard of a choice it was to make, she knew it was the best for both her and her family.
As afraid as Kristy has been throughout her journey, she hasn’t ever stopped smiling. She is surrounded by an amazing support system, including myself and our 6 year old daughter. She is always happy to answer any questions and openly shares her experince with others. Her goal is to reach out to others and raise awareness by sharing her story in hopes that it will help another feel less alone. There are so many different breast conditions and diseases that affect women and lead to the removal of their breasts. It isn’t about saving the tata’s, it is about saving the women. She received the call today that the insurance has deemed the mastectomy as a medical necessity. Surgery has been set for Tuesday June16th at 12:30. While it has been a journey leading up unto this moment, she still has a long road ahead of her. As one could imagine her medical bills are plentiful and there are many items that she will need to help see her through her recovery. She will undergo a 5 hour operation that will include a double prophylactic subcutaneous mastectomy and the placement of tissue expanders. After her drain ports have been removed she will start the weekly expansion process that will prepare her tissue for the implants that will be placed months down the road.
Kristy's personal blog sharing her journeyOrganizer
Wright Family
Organizer
Polo, IL
