A survivor looks back at the year that was
PEQUOT LAKES - October is breast cancer awareness month, an irony that has not gone unnoticed by Dee Monical of Pequot Lakes.
One year ago today, Oct. 1, Monical was in surgery, undergoing a mastectomy and breast reconstructive surgery at St. Cloud Hospital.
While it's been quite a year, Monical, 67, is doing well now. She wants to let other women know that if they decide or need to undergo a mastectomy, it doesn't have to mean living the rest of your life without a breast.
In mid-August of 2008, Monical had her regular physical at the Pequot Lakes Family Clinic with Dr. Brett Nienaber, who ordered a routine mammogram at St. Joseph's Medical Center. The mammogram detected abnormalities in her left breast and a stereotactic breast biopsy was ordered for Aug. 21, 2008. The procedure allows radiologists to take precise needle biopsies deep within the breast using two-dimensional computerized images taken from two different angles.
Dee Monical hugged her pug, Sassie, Wednesday at her Pequot Lakes home. Exactly one year ago today, Oct. 1, Monical underwent a mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery at St. Cloud Hospital. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls» Purchase reprints of this photo.
Those biopsied cells turned out to be Stage 1 breast cancer.
But Monical, frankly, didn't have time to get sick. Her husband, John Monical, a retired longtime Pequot Lakes High School math teacher and coach, was in the middle of his own personal health battle. He had been diagnosed in September 2007 with laryngeal cancer and needed to have his larynx, or voice box, removed.
She felt she needed to hurry and undergo her surgery and heal so her husband could have his surgery.
"I wanted myself to heal in order to care for him," said Monical. "I was more worried about him than me. I had the feeling I just wanted to get it out of me. Because I was so concerned about the outcome with John, I decided to trust my doctors."
Monical had a few options. She could have undergone a lumpectomy and radiation or a mastectomy with the possibility of radiation. What she didn't realize was that there was a third option: a mastectomy with reconstructive plastic surgery at the same time.
Her daughter, Cheryl, a family physician in North Carolina, told her about this option. While it isn't available in Brainerd, her doctor, Dr. Troy Duininck, was able to refer her to Midsota Plastic Surgeons in St. Cloud. Her daughter encouraged her to get a mastectomy, rather than a lumpectomy and radiation. Monical had watched her husband suffer through the effects of radiation during his cancer struggle and knew she would rather lose her breast.
Share your stories
In recognition of breast cancer awareness month in October and another Think Pink edition of the Brainerd Dispatch, we want to hear your stories of bravery. If you have a story to share about your mom, your sister or a friend -or your own personal journey, write to Kathi Nagorski, Brainerd Dispatch, P.O. Box 974, Brainerd, MN 56401 or e-mail kathi.nagorski@brainerddispatch.com.
A sampling of your stories will be printed on pink paper in the Brainerd Dispatch's Think Pink edition in October. Deadline to submit your stories is Oct. 6.
"My physician daughter said, 'Mom, even at my age that's what I would do,' and she was only 45," Monical said of a mastectomy. But she was interested in reconstructive surgery. "Not all women are candidates for reconstructive surgery and I was fortunate I was."
According to Midsota, the 1998 Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act requires health insurance companies that cover mastectomies to also cover reconstructive care. While her daughter knew this, Monical herself had no idea this was an option that could be available to her - and would be covered by insurance. The reconstructive surgery involves taking tissue from the abdomen and reconstructing the breast. A "tummy tuck" is also performed at this time. Tattooing is later utilized once the reconstructed breast heals to make it appear more natural.
"I don't know anybody else who's had this," said Monical. "I don't think a lot of people know about this, but I feel they should know it's available in the St. Cloud area. For me, it was the right choice and what I wanted to do."
Monical's surgeon, Dr. Mark Engelsgjerd of St. Cloud Medical Group, performed the mastectomy while Dr. John Houle, her plastic surgeon, finished up with the reconstructive surgery. The entire process lasted about six hours, the majority of the time was spent on the reconstruction. She had three additional follow-up surgeries to make sure both breasts were symmetrical.
After the mastectomy, testing on the removed tissue revealed that Monical had additional cancer cells found deeper within the breast that were not detected by the mammogram. It was considered Stage 2 breast cancer. Fortunately no cancerous cells were found in her nearby lymph nodes and her surgeon felt he had removed all of the cancer so radiation and chemotherapy were not necessary.
Six weeks after her initial six-hour surgery, Monical's husband underwent his surgery.
After a year filled with many ups and downs, they're both doing well. Around the time her husband was diagnosed with cancer, Monical received the call she'd been waiting for since she was 20. Her daughter, Melissa Stein, whom she had given up for adoption as a newborn baby, had found her. While mother and daughter wanted to meet in person, they waited until June, after she and her husband were feeling better, when Stein traveled from California to Pequot Lakes to see her mother for the first time in 47 years. It was an emotional reunion.
While breast cancer hadn't run in her family, Monical stressed to her three daughters, Cheryl, Suzanne and Melissa, the importance of getting mammograms, especially because of her own diagnosis, which they all did. The Monicals also have a son, James.
Monical feels blessed. Her advice for other women is to follow through with their physical exams and annual mammograms. If they, too, are diagnosed with breast cancer, she said to say a prayer and have faith in their physicians.
"I'm just feeling very fortunate and very pleased with the outcome," said Monical. "I can't believe it's been a full year."
JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.