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My Journey

I'm a married mother of 2 ~~ages 32 & 26. I have been happily married for 33.5 years to a wonderful man, I'm 52 at the time. In February 2012 in a routine mammogram they found something suspicious~~took several biopsies & turned out to be stage 2 breast cancer. As far as I knew, no one in my family had ever had breast cancer. So off I go to several appts to surgeons to set up surgery dates & in my head I am thinking lumptectomy. Surgeon comes in & in no uncertain terms tells me dead on, "YOU NEED TO HAVE A MASTECTOMY" ! Excuse me !!!!!!! I was floored, to say the least. He leaves, I cry, my husband sits there & tries to console me, we try to talk about this before the doctor comes back in, I compose myself & then I say well what the heck, at least I'll get new boobs out of all this. So I decided to do both breasts, even tho the cancer was only in my left side~~need to make them even, right? So on March 12, 2012 was my double mastectomy & my plastic surgeon was there & put in the expanders at the same time. Time for healing with the drains & tubing (my husband called me his borg).......I actually loved it !!!!!!! He helped me a great deal with the tubes, bandages, etc. as he's a nurse & took a week off to help me out. Six months of fills to expand my skin for the implants. September 10, 2012 I had my implant surgery (#2), January 30, 2013 was my scar revision surgery (#3) & May 31, 2013 was my nipple reconstruction surgery (#4). I was lucky because I DID NOT need chemo or radiation !!!!! I am very thankful for that! I was lucky to have the most awesome surgeons....... and I still have a great support in my family & friends now & forever ! Thanks to them !!!!!

Karen L. Brown
Loomis, CA

34 and diagnosed with invasive DCIS

I am 34 years old and just diagnosed with invasive DCIS on Sept 26, 2013. What a shock that was since I didn't have any family history. BRCA is negative however I will be undergoing bilateral nipple sparing mastectomy with reconstruction on Wednesday. My decision was based on wanting the lowest risk for reoccurrence of the breast cancer. Thankfully that is what I decided since my MRI showed something questionable in the opposite breast. Further treatment is unknown at this time since I have to wait for final pathology results. I am thankful for my partner Dana who has been by my side everyday!! My family and coworkers have been fantastic, even setting up fundraisers to help with the costs. My 9 year old son has also been very supportive and understanding.

Dawn Logsdon
Johnston City, IL

Why breast cancer didn't defeat me.

I am a 12 year breast cancer survivor. I was diagnosed in July 2011 and had a lumpectomy in Aug 2011. I had 33 radiation treatments. Thank God I didn't need chemo. My diagnosis came at a very bad time in life, not that there is a good time for such a diagnosis, At the time, my husband, was being treated for kidney failure and was on dialysis 3 times a week. He was also dealing with the newness of being blind. I didn't have time to be sick, I needed to be strong for him. I had my surgery as an outpatient and the next day was able to drive again. I had to do all the driving, take my husband to dialysis 3 days a week and to the many, many doctor's appointments he had weekly. During all this, I also babysat my 4 year old granddaughter every day from 6 in the morning til 6 at night. She attended preschool 3 days a week. I would get up at 5:30 every morning, take my husband to dialysis for 6 a.m. on his scheduled days, and then go to my son's house. Dialysis was four hours, but he was never ready to leave the clinic for 5-5 1/2 hours, which gave me time to get my granddaughter to pre-school, go for my radiation treatment, be back in time to pick up my granddaughter then my husband. We would have lunch and then off to whatever doctor's appointment we had for that day. I never was concerned for myself. My fear was if something happened to me, what would happen to them. I had to be strong and strong I was.

Anonymous
Apollo, PA

Five year survivor and three time

Just to say I was diagnosed in 2008 with breast cancer, so I had left breast removed and went thru 4 treatments of chemo then 9 months later did a scan and was hurting in left leg, so did MRI and it had metastasized to the bone in my knee, so I went thru 15 treatments of radiation and 9 months later did another scan and MRI and it did not stop it had grew and went to left shoulder so then I did 30 more treatments of radiation and 9 months later did scan and MRI and it was under control. I have been stable for 17 months. By God's grace I am living and am truly blessed. I have constant pain in left leg but nothing they can of because am not candidate for knee replacement. So by God's help I live day to day and an thankful to be alive. If you put your trust and faith in him, he will bring you thru.

Teresa Young
Gulfport, MS

From Fear to Survivor

1979 my mother died from Breast Cancer. All my life lived with memories of her declining health until she left us. No pink ribbons back then, no support groups. No one even talked about "Cancer" of any kind back then. 2011 I noticed a dimple in armpit area. I remembered reading that is a sign of Cancer, BUT decided I didn't want to know. I didn't want to go through what Mom did. No, I thought, I am not going to endure chemo, lose my hair. I was afraid so I went into denial. Fast forward December 2012, I felt strange pains and a lump in that same area. Now I was really scared. But yet I still ducked my head in the sand and soldiered on. It took serious pain and realization fear of death was stronger than fear of Cancer treatment. In September 2013 I finally had it checked out, on my birthday no less. Well the gift received was an eventual diagnosis of Ductal Carcinoma, on Oct 4th 2013 followed by the words from the specialist "This is treatable! We CAN fix this!" This was same week my mother was born and died. I felt her with me as the doctor told me all the things I had to now do, and in a hurry. I had chemo, double mastectomy, radiation. It wasn't easy BUT it was also not the horror story I had concocted in my head. It was scary yet hopeful. I went from fearful to fighter determined to get Cancer out no matter what it took. I was lucky. I almost waited too long. Early detection saves lives. Fear could have cost mine. Now my future's so bright I have to wear shades! Don't let fear of treatment keep you from a future!

Susan Brown
Lake Mary, FL

10 years still fighting

Hi, My name is Joanne Bridgeman and Im 51 years of age and was diagnosed with a very large breast cancer tumour in 2003, which was hormone positive and also HER2 positive (although I didnt know this at the time) I had a lumpectomy, followed by strong chemo and radiotherapy. The cancer had spread to 5 out of 15 lymph glands under my arm which were all removed. I was put on Tamoxifen. Two years later, after suffering agony in my hip for a month or so and various trips to the doctors, I fell at home and couldnt get up. I later found out in hospital I had broken my femur due to the cancer having spread there. It had also spread to my spine. After having a hip replacement, followed by more chemo and radiotherapy, although the cancer is still there and incurable, I am still going strong on Herceptin, Zometa and Armidex 8 years on with no sign of any more spread apart from what is already there. I was also born with a cleft lip and palate and am now undergoing more jaw surgery to correct the deformity and to improve my appearance. The treatment which is out there these days is 2nd to none and I cant thank the people in the chemo dept in my local hospital enough for all their kindness.

Joanne Bridgeman
Rugeley, United Kingdom

Fly Fishing and Stage IV Cancer!

Since 1997 I have survived three different diagnosis' of Stage I Breast Cancers. After the third diagnosis I was selected to attend a Casting for Recovery Weekend Retreat! At this retreat I learned a new skill, fly-fishing! The weekend was swimming with women, some volunteers (avid fly-fishing participants as trainers) and many Breast Cancer Survivors, all at various stages in their fight against Cancer. It was an inspiring time, that I could meet other woman, some who had later staged diseases and witness the grace in which they lived with their disease. This past summer, I was told that my Breast Cancer has now metastasized to my lungs and I have Stage IV Breast Cancer. The memories of my Casting for Recovery Weekend has continued to demonstrate that Life is so much more than a number that is put on our life expectancy. Life is "being" in the moment. Since, learning to fly fish, I have taken ZUMBA Instructor Training, became a Massage Therapist and certified in Reiki. Life is for learning, and I will continue to do that despite, Stage IV!

Anonymous
Sidney, MT

My Cancer Survivor Story

My name is Regina and I am a breast cancer survivor and this is my story. I had went to the doctor for a regular exam and I told the doctor that I had a lump and wanted her to check it. Remind you that I started having mammograms at the age of 25 for fibrocystic breasts. I was thinking that was what it was not cancer. When the doctor went out of my room I could her saying that she wanted a mammogram and ultra sound stat. I knew something was wrong then. When I got the results from the mammogram and ultra sound came back that it was cancer. I remember sitting in the room with my sister and was in so much disbelief. I thought I was healthy and lived a good life that I could not get cancer. They said at the beginning that it was stage 1 after my first lumpectomy. When my pathology report came back I had to have another surgery and they raised me to stage 2 and I needed to have chemotherapy. port put in. I was so scared. I watched my best friend die of the same type of breast cancer I had. I put my faith in god and in the hands of my cancer team. I have now been cancer free for a year now. I will be taking tamoxifin for the next five years. My oncologist is suggesting that I take it for 10 years because of the good results that they are having.

regina thomas
dayton, OH

This my strong and inspiring sister Lisa Fortune

She has battled and beaten Cancer twice. Her courage and faith in God has carried her through this trying time. I could not have been prouder of her....It was a long and painfull experience for us as she faced this dreadfull illness for the second time. She is so grounded in her faith and such an inspiration to all of us...When we get worried she would be the one person encouraging us to keep the faith and that God is in control and that He will work things out. I cant say it was easy for us as a family....but it was surely worth it trusting and believing in God's promises. This is her on her final day of CHEMO!!! She is currently back at work an living life to the max!!! God is GOOD!

Sarah Meyer
Dublin, Ireland

It's Been Thirteen Wonderful Years

The day I retired from a 30 year teaching career, I found out I had breast cancer. After a routine mammogram that was the last thing I expected to hear. Thank God my wonderful husband was with me at the Doctor's office because I did not hear anything after the Doctor said, "Suzie, you have breast cancer." That was in June of 2000. A week later I had a modified radical mastectomy of my left breast, underwent 8 months of chemotherapy and 33 radiation treatments. Then I was put on Tamoxifen and Femara for a total of 10 years. That was thirteen years ago and I have seen my son get married to a wonderful young lady and was there for the birth of our first and only granddaughter 3 years ago. My husband and I have enjoyed many years of travel, camping, enjoying each other and life in general. I am a reach to recovery volunteer
and I also volunteer at our new cancer center once a month. That is a very rewarding experience for me. I have been a 'listening ear' for many cancer victims in our area including several of my friends. My husband was my rock through the whole ordeal and my family was always there for me. I found out how tough I was, how strong our marriage is and that spikey hair is my style. (much better than bald).....I feel very fortunate for my life and the grace of God for allowing me to still be here. As a fellow cancer survivor (a little Italian man named Sal) told me when we were going through chemo together "I feela fine...my feeta hita the floor this morning.....life isa good, Suzie-Q." There is HOPE!!!!

Anonymous
Hersey, MI