Her Story: Natasha Wiley - Strength Through the Journey

My name is Natasha Wiley and in March of 2022 I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 38 years old.

I knew in my 20’s my chances of getting cancer was high as both my parents had cancer as well as their parents had cancer.

For years I asked my doctor to test me and she kept saying:

“Oh you’re too young to worry about cancer.”

I ended up requesting a new doctor and I hate to say this, I requested a woman of color, and as soon as she read my family history she tested me immediately for cancer.

Unfortunately the test came back positive and it was too late to do chemotherapy or radiation, so I was told double mastectomy was needed.

At night I would lay awake scared to sleep, not knowing if I would die in my sleep and if I did, who would take care of my kids and love them like me.

The Surgeries

Over the next year I had three surgeries on my breast:

1. Double mastectomy with expanders
2. Fat transfer from stomach to breast
3. Reconstruction lift

Now the procedures themselves didn’t hurt because of course I was knocked out, but them threading a nerve block down my back on the inside of both sides was horrible.

I cried and screamed and told them:

“Just let me go home, forget this.”

I remember the nurse comforting me saying:

“Sweetie I know this hurts but remember this is to save your life.”

So I held her hands and screamed until they were done threading.

Good thing it only had to be done with the first surgery.

Recovery

After the first surgery I came home with tubes that would suck the blood out so it wouldn’t pool inside my body and I had to empty them every 2-3 hours.

They were stitched into me and hurt so bad when I would accidentally pull them in my sleep.

With the last surgery the tube was hurting so bad I cut the thread and pulled out the tube myself.

So here it is 2026, four years later, and my breast are healed on the outside but the inside is still very sore and bruises easily and there still is no feeling in 95% of them.

I never had my nipples replaced or tattooed on.

Every now and then I will get an itch that’s deep inside or a sharp stabbing pain, but by the grace of God I’m still here.