In Video 2 vertel Wilma vir ons van haar behandelingsproses en hoe sy dit ervaar het.
(In Video 2 Wilma explains her treatment process and how she experienced it.)
English Translation of Video:
Interview with Wilma Kok
The Treatment Process
Having breast cancer actually isn’t the end of the world. When the shock sinks in and you make peace with it, you realise it isn’t that bad. I first went for a biopsy and after that the doctor gave me three days to think about what I wanted to do, I could either have it surgically removed or let the cancer run its course. These days a lot of women decide not to have it removed, I think it’s the stigma around losing your breasts, but it’s not that bad.
If I can give anyone out there advice I would say go think about it first, calm yourself and then decide. In my case I was very lucky, I decided to have the cancer removed but the doctor gave me the option of either having my entire breast removed or just the cancer. I decided to just have the cancer removed which meant that I would only lose half my breast. After I had half of my breast removed the oncologist told me that nature is so amazing that after two years my body will adjust and regulate itself. The one breast will just be smaller than the other and no one will even notice that I’ve had the operation. So I decided to go in, it was a few sessions because I first had to have radioactive material injected into the breast to determine where the cancer was exactly.
It’s not like earlier years where the doctor had to do surgery and look around to see what needed to be removed, it was actually done very neatly. They found the cancer and marked exactly where it was, I then went to the hospital. The doctor made one small incision and the cancer was removed. It was done so neatly that if I use some Bio-Oil, in a year I won’t even have a mark left. After that the doctor explained that I would have to see an oncologist. I contacted my medical aid and they said it wouldn’t be taken out of my day-to-day benefits, they put you on an oncological program. I’ve started with that and I’ll be going for my second chemo session in two days’ time.
Chemo is quite bad, but if you think about it in the long run, a year from now I’m sure I’ll look back and think, ”I did it, I made it through.” At first I couldn’t understand why I still needed chemo but the doctor explained that although they can remove everything, there is a chance that a small bit could remain behind and that can cause it to flare up again. I am currently undergoing a chemo session and it’s not as bad as everyone says it is, you do get through it. You are a bit tired afterwards and there are some side effects but life goes on, it’s a small price to pay.
Expensive Medical Costs
The costs of the treatment are very expensive. If you don’t have medical aid it will really drain your finances. For example, my day-long stay at the hospital and the removal of my breast cost almost R28 000. That was for the hospitalisation, the surgeon, the anaesthetist, and all those minor expenses. Then the chemo costs R4000 per session, which is being paid for so I’m really glad that I have a good medical aid. However, there were expenses here and there that I had to pay for upfront. These days, if it’s your first appointment with a doctor they expect you to put an amount down first, and it’s those amounts that you don’t plan for that actually wreak havoc on your finances.
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