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Staying Positive

It's been a complete whirlwind since my diagnosis on April 17, 2013. The amount of information that you have to digest and the decisions you have to make is enough to make your head spin. Through it all, my family and friends have been right there. Beside me, behind me and smack dab in front of me! I love them all. I've had my bad days and my teary-eyed moments; I'd be lying if I said I didn't. But all in all I've stayed positive and kept the smile on my face. I don't just do it for me...I do it for everyone around me and for those that will unfortunately come after me. I want to be a role model for my children and this is my opportunity to show them that staying strong is the only way to be! I am a survivor. I've already set my mind to it. During my treatments I've met many other patients who have harder struggles than me and they are surviving every day. I'm grateful that I get to spend my days in a fairly "normal" capacity. I'm truly lucky in the fact that my journey so far has been somewhat uneventful, and I like it that way. Yes I've lost my hair, but it's just hair! It doesn't keep me from going on day to day or from being a mother, wife, daughter, sister, neice, aunt, cousin or friend. Attitude is everything. You have to understand that you can't turn back time to your life before cancer. You can only move forward and live for every day and it helps to keep a smile on your face!

Penny
Hebron, MD

"ULTIMATE SURVIVOR" NOT ONLY A BATTLE WITH CANCER BUT LIFE ITSELF AND THE ELEMENTS

My nickname is "Angel U" aka Joanne Utterback and I was born and raised in Honolulu, HI. My grandfather died of cancer in 1973 and cancer is an inherited trait in my family unfortunately and hope that a cure can be found soon so my children and grandchildren don't have to experience what I have been through. Not only did I get cancer for the 3rd time but while in treatment and very ill....my ceiling fell in all over my apt. living room and there was mold and mildew that I have to endure during my battle. I ended up in a donated tent in the woods this past July and August and now living in a Motel in Astor, Fl. I feel that this is "God's Boot Camp" and during my life has been a struggle but not as bad as now but I learned how to be tough and it helped me. I hope my story will help other's that are struggling with cancer and keep in mind my words DON'T EVER GIVE UP NO MATTER WHAT. Thank you Lord for allowing to share my inspirational story for others that are struggling as well. "Angel U" aka Joanne Utterback in Astor, FL

Joanne Utterback
Astor, HI

Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor

45 when diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer. After a self exam, I went to the local ER to ask for an XRAY/CT scan. The radiologist confirmed a mass and made an appointment with a surgeon. Not knowing any better I had a pre op appt after my consult with both surgeon and plastic surgeon. Thank God that the nurses in this Community loved educating and assisted me in making a life altering course and had me in an Oncologist office w/i two hours. He was on the phone canceling the next days surgery! With breast cancer, with especially Triple Negative Breast Cancer, it comes at you with a vengeance. My Oncologist needed to keep my breasts intact to see the progress of my chemotherapy with my mass. Make a consult with Oncologist 1st! Take control of your life & spend a day to mourn the words " you have cancer". Make veggie shakes each day with minimal fruit, its natural sugars is what cancer loves & adds weight. Exercise to your mind & body! Cancer cannot live in certain PH levels between 8-9. Health food stores have it. My double mastectomy is scheduled for my 46 BD. Take Zyrtec twice a day, one hour before chemo & at bedtime. Put a mento in your mouth before they flush your port & prior to your chemo. Drink 1.5 liters of this PH level water a day. I felt so little of anything, I thank my Oncologist, all staff at his office and the hospital team that saw me through it. I was fortunate to have a great Church= great group of people who came to every Dr appt when my spouse worked to maintain our family benefits. To his Company thank you for being there for us. To God, this fight was yours from the start. I thank you for this being placed on my plate. On 2/22/14 my spouse and I will marry for a second time. The first time before God in Church with family and friends. I will cherish my being cancer free!

Milka Taylor
Huntsville, AL

I AM A SURVIVOR

Dec. 4, 2006 my 51st birthday. Diagnosed with breast cancer. What a birthday present! I was scared to death. This really was a wakeup call for me. Thank God for the support of my family. In January 2007 I started radiation...6 weeks of that. Then 5 years of Tamoxifen. It has now been 7 years & I have been cancer free. Just had my yearly mammogram last week. Still free & will continue to fight!!!

Bunnye Goodin Everett
Lindale, TX

Two years and still going!! What a blessing!!

Hello to all my cancer support friends. Just an update in my life. Havent been on here for awhile. In fall of 2011 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mastectomy and implants surgeries. Last summer I had a full hysterectomy. With all of the chemo treatments and the medications I was taking the docs didn't want me to get pregnant because the risk of the cancer returning would have been greatly increased. On January 27 of this year it was 2 years since my surgery of cancer and breast removal. Amazing what can happen in 2 years. At that time I didn't know if I would be alive and now here I am still going and this is the coolest part....right before my hysterectomy surgery last summer we adopted a little baby girl through Catholic Charities. They said it was the quickest adoption they had ever seen! Now we have a little family. One of my fav sayings is Out of tragedy comes triumph! Never give up hope and always know you are never alone in your struggles. I am so thankful for my loving God, my hubby, family, friends, prayer warriors and amazing medical people. Strength, peace and blessings to all of you.

Rayna Kopriva
Gove, KS

Sisters with Breast Cancer

Early Detection saved our lives. I was diagnosed during an annual mammogram at the age of 44, and sent all my family and friends for mammograms - never expecting my sister, at the age of 39, to also be diagnosed just six weeks after me. We were both Stage 2, Grade 3 IDC, and have undergone numerous surgeries with several setbacks; but we are alive today and able to fight, because our cancer was caught in the early stage. I now scream from the mountaintops and remind every woman I see to have her mammogram! Do not put it off - your life may depend on it.

Because we were sisters, and fighting Breast Cancer at the same time (still have trouble comprehending this at times), we were sent for genetic testing. While I was found to have a genetic mutation, my sister was not (and we were tested and re-tested!). The geneticists are still pondering this outcome. Based on the mutation, we both chose to remove our other breast, and have a hysterectomy.

So together we had our mastectomies, our rounds of chemo, lost our hair (we both rocked the bald!), began our reconstruction, had our hysterectomies, and both experienced setbacks which delayed our healing. It's incredibly difficult to have this disease at the same time as your sister, because it leaves you very little time to comfort one another. A cruel twist of fate, in my opinion.

But we are survivors, and humbled by the support and love we have received from our husbands, our children, our family and friends. We are both back to work full time and trying to regain some sense of normalcy. But mostly, we are thankful we were detected early, and that we are SURVIVORS!

Lisa
Baltimore, MD

Suzie had CANCER but CANCER didn't have Suzie

A very short fight and hence a very short story, She smiled,laughed and fought to the end.She may have lost the battle but in the end she was my winner.

Robert Harm
Houston, TX

Nightmare turned Survivor

I'm nearly 62 and 2 years ago I had my yearly mamo. It showed I have cancer. Lots of tests and finally I opted for a double mastectomy. Rounds of chemo and radiation and everything looks good. Have had reconstruction with the support of my family. Family means everything. Keep up with the mammograms all you ladies.

Anonymous
Rosanky, TX

My Aunt Sherry

This is a young beautiful women. My Aunt Sherry was diagnose last year with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer. She went through 2 surgeries on her hip and forearms. Two rounds of chemo and one round of radiation. She is known as sweet, caring, loving, witty, and passionate person. She loved to paint, I could spend hours just looking at her paintings.
These last few weeks have been really hard for her, not just her but the whole family. She was just recently hospitalize with an infection to her liver, she has been in the hospital for these last 6 days. She was going to be discharged to today Feb 11th, I am sadly to say she never made it home. As I'm writing this tears are falling down my cheek. She will greatly be missed not just by me, but our family. I was supposed to be taking a trip tomorrow to go see her, but sadly I am to late. I know she is longer suffering and she is in god's hands. I miss you already Aunt Sherry.

Alexis
Kerrville, TX

Fibroadenoma

I had my first ever mammogram done on February 3,2014. They found a mass on my right breast. They scheduled me for a biopsy on that Friday February 7, 2014. The doctor originally thought it was just a cyst however when he went in he instead found a solid mass. He said he felt some "crunchy" stuff while doing the needle core biopsy. When he was done he told me that in his experience as a doctor all these masses that he sees 99% of them are cancerous. He told me to be prepared for the worst. I had a horrible weekend. Crying and wondering what is next for me. When again I asked him to be honest and simple with me he said that he was certain 99% that I had a malignancy and that my options were either a lumpectomy or a mastectomy. He said very rarely do these tumors come back benign. If they do it's less than 1%.

Today I found out I was that less than 1%. My tumor is benign. I was told I had fibroadenoma. It is a benign tumor of the breast. I was elated and so happy I didn't know what to do with myself. It did teach me something though. It made me more aware of what is out there and how very real and scary breast cancer is. I do not wish this feeling upon anyone. I will proudly wear the pink ribbon from now on. It is a symbol of hope and health. I hope they someday find a cure for this horrible disease. I have the utmost respect for all the millions of pink warriors who are fighting breast cancer or who have a family member or a friend fighting breast cancer and I also commend the survivors. They are true heroes for not letting the cancer control and run their lives. God Bless

Aristea Papavasiliou
Lake Worth, FL