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six months chemo behind me

I am Rose,46, single mother of three boys. Always been active and healthy then one day bang.
I had noticed a little lump jst behind my left nipple, wich over a time period of 2 weeks had bigger, sorer and had started to invert my nipple by time i could get into a doc. That was 19 th july. Well i had tests scans and byopsy which said it wasnt cancer. Had lump removed only to be told i had breast cancer. 6th sept 2013 i had left mastectomy and lymph nodes removed. I have grade 3 aggessive breast cancer. It was such a roller coaster ride. 28th jan i had last chemo, got radiation next. I have had so much love and support and kept a possitive attitude, most of the time. That has helped as well as a fantastic nursing crew in bega hospital. Not to forget my fantastic boys , family and friends. Financially it has been so hard.

Rose
narooma. nsw, Australia

my lovely mother....

My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer 4yrs ago she was 2weak to go on chemo and radiation so they put her on tablets for both. She was told her cancer didn't spread but April 2012 she got a mri scan an it was all clear!!! In aug we noticed mam was getting more confused than usual an much more sleepy so we got her 2the hospital an a few days later we wer told she had stage 4 aggressive cancer that had gone tru the limp nodes undetected from the breast an had spread all around her body. We wer told on Thursday the 9th of aug that she would be lucky 2 live a week... 6days later my beautiful wonderful mother passed away... I have had cancer myself not breast but cervical my mothers words stay in my head wen she was diagnosed I NOW NO GOW SCARED U WER I HOPE AN PRAY 4A CURE xxxx

anna oconnor
ballymun, Ireland

strong

I was diagnosed on August 12th with breast cance. rI went throug a denial stage and with the support and my family and my extended family that I work with at Keizer Lowes I'm making it. it's been a struggle chemo and the injection I have afterwards to boost my white cells makes me very sick I have learned that keeping a positive attitude and
my faith in God that you make it through it. I have one more chemo appointment scheduled for February 6 and then I'm done with chemo then three weeks later I start my radiation 5 days a week for 7 weeks and then I'll be done be done with that. I also will start Herceptin injections once every 3 weeks that will target my het2 receptive gene. I'll do that for a year and then the celebration will start you need to have a positive attitude and keep on going because there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I truly believe faith in God positive attitude family and extended family support you can make it through anything.

Loraine Steward
aumsville, OR

REMISSION

I.m FROM NEW ORLEANS LA I.m A SURVIVOR of both BREAST CANCER IN REMISSION. 04/05 BEFORE KATRINA AN I WENT Through FOR KATRINA I.m. STILL STRUGGLING LOST A LOT BEN Through A LOT I.M LIVING WITH MY SON STILL HAVE PAIN IN LEFT ARM PAIN .IN BACK.NECK AN LEFT ARM SWELLS UP AN SUM DAYS R GOOD AN SUM DAYS ARE BAD mentality. Physically an financially I ALWAY.Z SAY I COULD WRITE A BOOK ABOUT ME .KATRINA. BREAST CANCER. AN REMISSION

Robin
new orleans, LA

God Can Heal you !

Hello to all of you out there fighting the battle. First of all I will say " God Loves You and can heal you ! Don't give up. Stand up and fight and keep the Faith. Your greatest warrior is by your side. I was diagnosed with Stage 1 Lobular Carcinoma back in 2001. Received radiation, chemo and mastectomy and did well for 10 years. In October of 2012 I was hospitalized only to find out the cancer returned. This time Stage IV lobular carcinoma. It is in my abdominal cavity, outside of my intestines and co . I received 16 rounds of chemo infusions and now I'm taking 77 chemo pills in a 14 day period and will continue taking them. Having Stage IV cancer has changed for life. I look at life in a totally different way. I have so much peace and I know it is because I'm filled with the Holy Spirit. I know God can heal me if that is his plan for me. If not I know I will be ready when he says he is ready for me to come home. It has been a little over a year. This past November I walked 60 miles in the 3day Komen walk and have signed up to do it again this November. It was the hardest thing I've ever done but I prayed to God to help me do the walk and he did. I feel fantastic and I'm so blessed every day because I know without a doubt God is by my side fighting with me. I pray each one of you fighting the battle take time to pray, read his word and be filled with the Holy Spirit. I promise it will change your life forever!!! Blessings and hugs to you all !
Debbie Templin

Debbie Templin
Colleyville, TX

Fight like a Mom

My story begins on October 18th, 2012. It just so happened to be our local Think Pink day and there I was in the doctor's office getting the works: mammogram and ultrasound, followed by a biopsy. Thank goodness this office is a one stop shop as it pertains to tatas. I had been experiencing pain in my left breast and it was also turning red and getting larger. Anyways, back in the office after the biopsy, I asked how long it would take to get the results back, it was Thursday and I really didn't want to agonize over this test for the whole weekend. They told me that they would put a rush on it and maybe get the results back Friday afternoon.
After leaving the doctor's office, I went to my son's school to work in the classroom. When my son saw me, he came running and tried to jump on me. At which I had to tell him no jumping on mom. He was okay with that, but asked why I was sore and what was my appointment for. I told him I would tell him later. Later came after school as we were walking out to the parking lot, He turned and looked at me and said, "Okay, why are you sore and what was your appointment for? It better not have anything to do with why people are wearing pink because people die from that." He was 9 at the time we are very close and he is very intuitive. I was crushed, because even though I hadn't gotten the results yet, I knew deep down what was going on.
The results came in the next morning. With my best friend by my side, I heard the word, CANCER. It was stage III, IBC and IDC with lymphnode involvment and BRCA to boot. I've gone through chemo, radiation, multiple surgeries and on August 16, 2013, remission. I'm here by the grace of God and becasue I have reason to fight. My hero, my son, Nathaniel! Keep up the good fight, we will win!!

Laura Klima
Redding, CA

I'm winning my battle

I was diagnosed on 5th December 2012 with stage 3 Breast Cancer. I had a lumpectomy on 15th December and started my chemo in January 2013. I suffered a lot during my treatment and had numerous blood transfusions. I then had four weeks Radiotherapy. As my cancer was hormone related and I was having problems I had to have a full hysterectomy. The lumpectomy and chemo caused me to have carpal tunnel in both hands so have had to have both operated on and my Hickman line got infected and caused a blood clot in my neck so have been on injections for that. this last year has been one thing after another but my hubby, daughter family and friends have kept me strong. Today 28th January 2014 a year after starting my treatment I have had a check up and mammogram and have been told it's all clear. I am so happy and so lucky. The treatment I have received has been the best and everyone has been really strong and supportive around me. Just 5 years on tablets now and I can say I won :-))

Ella wood
Wolverhampton, United Kingdom

My Anchor

On January 24, 1990, I had a sharp pain in my left breast. When I pressed down on it, I found a lump. I showed my husband, Mark, and he told me he would call my OBGYN the next morning. I went to school as usual. Mark called me at the beginning of my lunch hour and said my doctor was only in his office until noon but that he would wait for me to get there. Dr. Ansty tried to aspirate this lump but had no luck. He called and made me an appointment that same afternoon with a surgeon. I was then scheduled for a biopsy the next Friday. We were told it was cancer. After surgery, I came home on Valentine's Day. Mark was with me through all my chemo treatments and took care of our two small children when I couldn't. In January 2007 I had severe pain in my right breast and we got to do the routine all over again. No matter how down and depressed I got, Mark was always there for me. He sat with me through chemo and never left my side. When I lost my hair the first time, I was devastated. So, when my hair started to come out the second time, Mark said we were going to be in control and shaved my head! Our daughter painted butterflies with henna on my head, too. No matter how I felt about myself, Mark always told me how beautiful and sexy I was. When I felt like I couldn't handle it, Mark stepped in. He is my anchor. I couldn't have survived twice without him by my side. I am now 24 AND 7 years cancer free and WE are survivors, TOGETHER.

Shirley Johnson
The Colony, AL

men with breast cancer

Jan 2011 I found a lump on my chest . Stage 2 breast cancer. Was in Sloan Kettering hosp withen 2 weeks(best place to be) had a double mastectomy now 2014 cancer free taking arimadex as a case study.

mike
milford, PA

Bittersweet

I am 44 and on Thanksgiving weekend of 2011 I found a small lump in my right breast. I went to my dr and she thought it was nothing but agreed to send me for a mam. This was my very first mammogram ! A few days after that, I started feeling unwell. And went to my dr and told her that I feel like I am pregnant! Three years prior, I was told by my gyno thAt I could not get pregnant. SURPRISE 😳
So, they diagnosed me on Nov17 2011 and thought that maybe it would best to abort the baby so that I could get the best aggressive care possible. I did not agree and kept my baby. I went to Juravanski cancer Centre in Hamilton and they assured me that my baby would be fine during chemo. I had four rounds of chemo before my baby was born and four more after. Along with a year of herceptin and 5 years of tamoxifen. Radiation would not help me because I am HER2 pos. I had a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction with DIAP. After that, I had a hysterectomy just to be safe . And now , I am back at work. My handsome boy is now 19 months old and healthy and very bright.

Dorothy DiPaolo
Guelph, Canada