Name - Kelly Cantrell

Age - 32 (33 in August)

IG handle - @Kelly_Cantrell

Please share a little bit about yourself and your story.

I was 29 at diagnosis. I had a 16 month old daughter who was breast feeding at the time. I thought I had mastitis and was put on several different antibiotics because the doctors thought it was mastitis as well. When the medicine didn’t work, I was told to just quit breastfeeding and all the issues would go away.

They didn’t and after a long, late night session with google, I self diagnosed and called the doctor the next day. He still waited for a biopsy when I insisted. 10 days after I KNEW I had Inflammatory breast cancer, he did the biopsy and called 3 days later with the news.

I was told it was rare and aggressive and google is not nice when researching IBC. I found an oncologist who believed in me and believed she could help me. I trusted her with my life and went through months of chemotherapy. The chemo made a drastic difference almost right away. IBC makes your breast very swollen, red, mishaped, and all together weird. The chemo slowly brought it back to normal, so I knew it was working!

The scans showed what we had suspected, the chemo worked. Then a double mastectomy, no reconstruction, surgery with IBC is not suggested, it’s pretty much required. The cells of this cancer are so sneaky and aggressive that the guidelines say to take all extreme measures, and I trusted that. I couldn’t think of not following the recommendations. I did consider reconstruction and a single mastectomy but I couldn’t find peace with it.

After surgery, I then had weeks of radiation.

Radiation was miserable and the worst. None of it was pleasant but I’m so grateful to be alive. I’m grateful to be here to watch my daughter grow up. 

Where did you have your surgery?

My surgeon is located in Bartlett Illinois.

WHAT IS YOUR SURGEONS NAME AND WHY WOULD OR WOULDN'T YOU RECOMMEND THEM?!

His name is Dr. Robert Maganini. He is/was the absolute best surgeon I could have asked for. I interviewed a few doctors and he just made me feel so well taken care of. He sat with my husband and I for almost 3 hours the day we met him. He helped us understand everything as much as we could.

Why did you decide to stay flat after surgery?

No reconstruction was part of the IBC guidelines. All of my doctors agreed that I had such a great response and they were comfortable with me having reconstruction. I had a plastic surgeon ready for surgery and I canceled them 2 days before. I didn’t have peace thinking about it and I needed that before this huge surgery. I also couldn't imagine going through the reconstruction process with a small child. My doctors and family all supported my decision and that helped me even more. 

Were you given the option to stay flat?

After diagnosis and researching and a lot of soul searching, flat was the only option in my mind. My surgeon’s suggestion was actually a single mastectomy and reconstruction. But flat was the only one that felt right. 

What do you wish you knew about being flat / surgery / etc.?

 I think it was more mentally draining to go flat for me. It was just such a huge change. I went from loving breastfeeding and having larger breasts to not having anything at all. I still struggle with clothes. Everything physically just looks differently and no one really prepared me. I have peace of mind knowing I did everything to keep the cancer away but it is emotionally very difficult.

I wish there was someone that could have prepared me for that before hand.

Thank God for therapy today.

Advice for people who are thinking about staying flat after surgery?

 It is a huge change. All my doctors said over and over, I could always change my mind and have reconstruction.

That is always an option but once you make that decision, you will know that is right for you.

It does tend to be difficult to look differently than you did before and from anyone else. I can say, I wasn’t in a great place before cancer and surgery, so maybe it was a little tougher on me. Therapy has really helped me starting finding myself and my purpose.

I know my boobs or lack there of, have nothing to do with my happiness. Most days, I’m totally ok without them. I mean, no bras anymore! Yes!

Just know that there are people out there that have gone through it, we are there for you. I can pick out a flattie when we are out and I want to run up and hug them.

Some days it feels like no one understands but we do! If going flat feels right to you, trust yourself! This community will have your back! Reach out anytime!

How was your recovery from your surgery?

 My incisions had a tough time staying closed. They were healing from the inside but the outside just kept popping open. I had to use a lot of tape and such to help it heal. My surgery was in March and I started radiation in May and I still had an open spot on my scar. The pain was mostly controlled with medication. It was a very sore feeling most of the day. The drains were my least favorite part. I was happy when they were removed because they were such a nuisance. I had a tough time getting full arm mobility back but it came with time. 

How would you describe your overall experience? 

I had a great surgeon and I was extremely happy with everything with him. The hospital staff was fine. Nothing really stands out, but that could have been the drugs fault. I feel the overall experience was more emotional than I anticipated. I do still struggle sometimes when I see my chest or can’t find something right to wear. It’s just a lot to accept being grateful to be alive but adjusting to a new body. 

Are you happy with your results? 

I am happy. The surgeon left a little bit of skin on my chest, in case I changed my mind about reconstruction in the future. I do feel I may be happier if that were gone, because I don’t see myself changing my mind. But generally, I am happy with the scars as much as one can be. 

Do you have any feeling post surgery?

There are spots of my arm that I can not feel. I can feel most of my chest but there are some spots I can’t. Most of the lack of sensation is in my upper arm and armpit. 

On a scale 1- 10 how painful was your surgery? Your recovery?

Surgery-8 Recovery-9 but…medication helped control the pain, but not much of the soreness.

What challenges have you faced since your surgery?

Daily I am faced with a body that doesn’t conform to the norm of society. The medicine I take to help keep cancer away has helped me gain some weight. With the added weight and the flat chest, I feel like I’m constantly being stared at. I look different. Clothes don’t look the same on me as they do on models. It’s a challenge to try and ‘fit in’ and be ‘normal’ again-at least for me to feel those things. 

How do you feel about your scars?

They remind me of how far I have come. I’m grateful for everything my body has survived and healed from. I don’t think I connect the flatness to the scars, is that strange? No one sees the scars except me. I appreciate what they stand for. 

What are the best ways to advocate for yourself to your medical team if you want to be flat?

 I listened to all of the advice from my doctors. We talked about all of my reservations and they answered every question I had. I did my own research and talked to other women who had gone through the same decision. When I had made my mind up, there was no other option. I did interview 2 other surgeons who weren’t totally on board with the flat option. I made sure the doctor I picked was going to let me decide what was best for my body with their guidance. 

Is there anything else you would like to add about your surgery / experience? Any commonly asked questions? Please feel free to add whatever you would like!! 

Trust yourself. In the beginning of my cancer story, I knew it was cancer. I had to trust my intuition and find someone to help me. I made the decision for myself to go flat and I trusted that was the right decision. That was not an easy decision. I thought about some of the things that I struggle with now emotionally. It’s a life changing surgery. I struggled a lot with what to do. Once I made that decision, even if it was 2 days before surgery, I felt at peace with it. I then trusted it was the right decision and it was. 

To make an appointment with Dr. Robert O Maganini you can call his office at 855.692.6482