Q. Hello, doc. I have been hit by a real tragedy, and I would appreciate your fatherly advice. I am female, age 37, and married to the man I love. We are real happy together. We have a great sex life. Unfortunately, a year ago I discovered a lump in my breast. At first, I paid it no mind. It did not pain me. But recently, I realised that it was getting bigger. So I have just consulted a surgeon-specialist. And he told me where I have to take an operation. He says that "the breast has to come off." Will this ruin my sex life, doc? I am real afraid that it will, because I am sure my husband will lose interest in me when he sees that I only have one breast.A. I am real sorry to hear about this. Let me begin by pointing out to other female Gleaner readers that there is a big moral in your story.
It is this. NEVER ignore a lump in the breast! Most breast lumps turn out to be harmless - but some are not - because they are cancers.
And, unfortunately, the longer a woman ignores a cancer, the worse are her chances of survival.
Now, I do sincerely hope that you will survive this cancer. But it is clear that if the surgeon-specialist says you need to have the breast removed, then you should take his advice. From what you say, it sounds like you need to take the operation as soon as possible.
Now, what about your husband? I do appreciate that you think he will lose interest in you if you have a breast removed. That is a common worry among women.
However, I do not think you should fret about this. In my clinical experience, good and loving husbands do not 'turn away from' their wives, simply because of the loss of a breast.
It is true that most males do really like breasts, and enjoy handling them during sex. But it is quite unusual for a guy to cease to desire a woman, simply because she has had one of her breasts removed.
One final point: these days it is sometimes possible for the surgeon-specialist to 'fashion' (i.e., make) a new breast for the woman, using plastic surgery techniques. You should talk to your surgeon about this. I wish you well.
Q. It is true that wearing shoes that are too narrow can deform the toes, doc?
A. Yes! Again and again, I see young women who have given themselves twisted, bent and painful toes by wearing shoes that are too tight.
