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3 time cancer survivor

3 times cancer survivor..twice in the breast and once in the brain..all in 2011 and 2012....now it is 2015 and I'm great..after the brain surgery I was partially paralyzed on the right side and had a hospital bed delivered and I slept down stairs for months...now I'm walking fine..lost my hair twice..I had long brown hair..it started to grow back after the breast cancer..and then I lost it again with the brain cancer..second time it grew in gold and very thin..different texture...just did an ultra sound on my uterus to see if the lining is hardening..just hoping for the best..but miracles happen..believe me I'm proof..I'm still alive and so very blessed.. I was sicker than I let anybody know..but I kept a positive attitude..and told myself than I am a strong woman and I believe God and my guardian angels and my mommy.were right by my side..now my cousin just had a mastectomy..and I am happy giving her advice on how to deal with this devil. thank you..Lynda Dewinde..Lancaster Ca.

Lynda Dewinde
Lancaster, CA

Healing With Words: A Boomer Writer's Journey

A short time ago, the food media celebrity Sandra Lee shared that at the age of 48, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Both she, born in 1954, and I are smack in the middle of the booming age. So she joins me and others, such as Martina Navratilova and Wanda Stykes, as women afflicted with DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma in Situ), a relatively common form of early breast cancer.

Since my own diagnosis in 2001, my life has never been the same. The first thing my oncologist told me after the diagnosis was, “If this does not rivet you, nothing will.” He was so right.

Some women opt for the double mastectomy, but I opted to keep my healthy breast. I was also warned that because my DCIS was so widespread in the one breast, a lumpectomy would leave me severely deformed, so I chose to have a mastectomy. Having a double mastectomy meant that I would never again feel any nipple sensation and as a sexually-active boomer, I did not want to forego that pleasure, so I opted to leave my healthy breast intact.

I viewed my diagnosis as a wake-up call to take care of myself physically, psychologically, and emotionally. I advocate self-breast exams and maintaining healthy physical and emotional health is vitally important in all aspects of life, especially when it comes to breast cancer.

Some suggestions:
maintain a healthy body weight
avoid cigarettes and recreational drugs
avoid processed foods
avoid unrefined sugars
minimize alcohol intake
eat a plant-based diet of cruciferous vegetables
be aware of your genetic history
minimize stress
remain active
meditate and/or do yoga
be educated about your health
do daily journaling

Diana Raab, Ph.D. is a transpersonal psychologist and she is a regular blogger for Psychology Today, The Huffington Post, and BrainSpeak.

Diana Raab, Ph.D.
Santa Barbara, CA

Happy to be Alive

In 2009 I was diagnosed with breast cancer in both breasts, so I decide to go ahead and have the complete bi lateral mastectomy. Surgery went well, a couple of months later they started me on intense chemo, for one year. Once surviving chemo, which was miserable, I am now a 5 1/2 year survivor. Have had scans since then and am doing great. I feel great, during chemo I lost 55 pounds and am now happy that I can maintain the weight loss. I am a happy camper, have lots of energy and very active in spite of being 71 years old.

Patricia Moore
Federal Way, WA

my story

I am 41...was diagnosed 10-14-2014 with breast cancer and I am brca1+. I had a double mastectomy 11-18-2014 , underwent 3 months of chemo and am currently undergoing reconstruction surgery. I am also having my tubes and ovaries removed (tomorrow in fact) due to the high risk of developing ovarian cancer. Luckily enough ive been able to work throughout all of this, only part-time at times but was also able to find a lot of resources to help thanks to the cancer center , hubert humphrey cancer center in robbinsdale mn. Ive never let this take me down, its only made me tougher and stronger than I already am!

Michelle Posl
east bethel, MN

Ashley David 29 yrs old sings a song of courage

Her song can be listened to at the link below..
https://youtu.be/-FbV4NxDT2o
or searched under Ashley David Breast Cancer.

Her walk a thon is can be viewed from the link below.schedule in spring, tx june 28th 2015
https://www.facebook.com/events/104892489851613/104892493184946/

Anonymous
Spring, TX

Survivor, Victim, Fighter: What are you?

On May 5, 2014 I had breast reduction surgery. I have always been a very intuitive person and remember asking my plastic surgeon what the chances were they find cancer when doing reductions? She assured me it rarely happens and it has never happened to any of her patients. Well, 10 days later I was informed the pathology report from my reduction showed DCIS breast cancer in my right breast. Since I had a reduction there were no clear margins, I would require radiation to my full breast and hormone therapy treatment unless I elected to do a mastectomy. Since then, I’ve had a double mastectomy, expanders, implants and fat grafting to complete the more natural look and feel of my new breasts.

Recently, I had an MRI of my liver because a lesion was found as an incidental result of an ultrasound for my gallbladder. The tech asked if I had any surgeries or implants which would show up on the scan, so I told her my story. After hearing my story she says, oh, you’re a survivor. I told her; no I don’t really identify myself as a survivor. And she said, why not? You had cancer and now you don’t. This was hard for me to explain because when I think of being a survivor I think you have to be a victim first. I have never felt victimize by anything in my life.

In 40 years, I’ve been raped, done drugs, seen lives lost, been abused, had skin and breast cancer and now raised a very medically complex child. None of these have ever made me say “why me” or made me feel victimized. I don’t consider myself a survivor for having lived through these things. I am a fighter! I have the “will, courage, determination, ability, or disposition to fight, struggle, resist, any challenge” I face. My life is in my control with how I deal with the challenges presented to me. Life is about choices and how you choose to deal with what has been presented. In tough situations I choose to fight!

Kristy Kargel
Stillwater, MN

Feeling Blessed

November 2013 my mammogram was good. November 4, 2014 my mammogram showed a suspicious mass in the right breast. The doctors wanted more X-rays and ultrasound. November 7, 2014 I had these done. They confirmed the mass. It was .07 centimeters. It was so small that even knowing where it was I could not feel it nor could the doctor. Thank God for mammograms. The doctor wanted a biopsy done. This was done November 20 and came back positive for Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. ER+ PR-.
December 26, 2015 I had surgery. A lumpectomy and removal of the first lymph node. The surgeon got clear margins around the lump and the lymph node was clean!!
I completed 33 sessions of radiation on March 25, 2015. I did get a rash all over the right breast. It was not sore. I had wonderful doctors and radiation technicians. My greatful thanks to all of them. They made the process so easy. I am also thankful for my family. Especially my daughter who came from Florida to be with me in NH for my surgery then putting up with us at her home in Florida while I had radiation!!
On May 7 I had a follow-up mammogram done and it looks good.
I have told all I speak to that they should not wait until they are 40 or more to have a mammogram done. Many young women get breast cancer. GET IT DONE EARLY! If I had not had mine done, I probably still would not know I had breast cancer and it would be much worse

Margaret
Hillsborough, NH

I never gave it a second thought.

My story begins in November of 2014 when I found a small lump in my right breast. From that moment on, my life would never be the same. I had all the normal testing, mammograms, ultra sound, biopsy and finally a lumpectomy. It was the removal of the lump that gave me a reality check and an introduction into the world of breast cancer. I was given options and decided on double mastectomy and immediate reconstruction.
There is no words that can describe the emotional, mental and the physical trauma of the notification of the "C" word. But I am determined that this will not beat me and have made it my personal mission to overcome this little bump in the road of life. I have learned that you can actually do anything that you set your mind to.
Now I have scares and have a few more surgeries ahead of me, but my scares are a tribute to the battles that I have won and the battles that I will continue to fight. I wake up everyday with the mentality that life is a gift and with each breath I take, is a breath to the future that I have yet to live. My future is bright and I have so much more to look forward to.
So for all of you out there that are experiencing the same bump in the road, be strong, be determined, be ready to fight but most of all live and love your life.

Melissa Hicks
Bluff City, TN

my mom

my mom name is Katie Easton she 90 has beat breast cancer I look up to her every day I wish I can be as strong as her

sue easton
las vegas, NV

ANSWER TO PRAYER

Five years ago this past February, I head an angel whisper while at work, “Get your mammogram.” As I put the key in the front door lock that evening, I again heard the angel whisper, “Get your mammogram.” I dropped my bags in the open doorway and went to my den to retrieve my 9-MONTH OVERDUE mammogram order. I called the breast center the next day and received an appointment for that Thursday, which was my birthday.
The following Monday at work, the breast center called, asking me to come in to repeat my mammogram. I went in on my lunch hour; had a repeat mammogram, which turned into two ultrasounds and three needle biopsies—a long lunch hour! Two days later, I had my diagnosis--stage I invasive ductal carcinoma. A lumpectomy was two weeks later, followed by 6 chemos, 33 radiation treatments, and 1 year of Herceptin infusions. I am on a 5 to 10-year estrogen blocker.
During radiation, in answer to prayer, I was led and blessed to start The Sparkle Caps Project. Our goal is to empower and uplift women with all types of cancer, letting them know that they are HOT CHICKS, in spite of their hair loss; that their femininity is not tied to their hair; and to have positive attitudes, because that is part of the battle.
The cancer journey is not an easy one. It is unique to each one of us. I pray that you each will find your blessings on this unasked for journey, as have I, Susan “Victorious” - Victorious over cancer! Victorious in God!

Susan "Victorious" Heimbigner
Sumter, SC