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Friday the 13th

I almost cancelled my appointment for my mammogram as we had just returned from vacation, but something told me I should go, so I went. They found a lump and an appointment was set with the surgeon. I kept telling myself it was nothing, I couldn't possibly have anything to worry about.
My appointment with the surgeon was scheduled for Friday the 13th. It was on that day that he told me I had cancer. Surgery was scheduled in 5 days.

After surgery, chemo, and radiation, and a wonderful 10 years later, I am proud to say I AM A SURVIVOR. Be deligent about your health, make sure to get those mammograms. A mammogram (that I almost cancelled) saved my life!

Karen Hajduk
Green, OH

My Ongoing Journey

It was February 7, 2010 when I got the diagnosis - 'Breast Cancer'. Disbelief and deceit were all I could think. I was 62 years old and I had my Mammograms done every year - never missing one. My Breast Cancer did NOT show up on mammogram. I had to be sitting or standing and then you could see and feel the lump. I felt my mammos had deceived me. Wrong! Mammogram is still the 'Gold' standard, it picks up 80% of all Breast Cancers. I just was in that 20%. Women should request their doctors check them sitting up as well as laying down. It only takes a few more minutes (but can add years to your life).

I have had my surgery, radiation and taking my medications. Now my life consists of my "new normal'. Even though every day is not wonderful (they were not all wonderful before my diagnosis), each day is a blessing and is to be enjoyed and shared. I am so thankful for all my doctors, treatment teams and friends and then mostly God. God gave everyone the knowledge, ability, time and availability to take care of me. This disease has given me the ability to become more compassionate and understanding of all those around me and to value each day of my life so much more

Thank you Breast Cancer for helping me (and hopefully to help others).

Frankie Petree
Winston-Salem, NC

My fight

I am on my first year after my operation and treatment. First i did not think of all..and then i sad to myself..ok..now you have to fight, look only on the road infront of you and go. Dont look back, dont think : this is not going to work You are stronger than you know..so i just took one day at the time. And here i am, feelig helty and happy to live. .After my treatment i moved to Turky that i love. And by the grace of somthing bigger i am ok today and planning to live my life to the fullest.

vaileth
Tosmur, Sweden

How did you react?

It was May, 2009, when I went to have my yearly check up and they said that I had cancer in both breast, I couldn't believe it, I went for a second opinion and was told that it was early stage and that it was only in my left breast, not in both. I determined then that I was placing all of this in God's hands and that He was going to see me through, with God's help, I went through everything with a peace that passed all understanding. I have now been cancer free for about a year and half.

Emily
Greenville, MS

my life the last year.

well it was january 14th 2010 i just found out i had breast cancer,i looked at all my options and decided surgery first,it was february 3rd 2010 and the surgery went good i spent 2 days in the hospital now the hardest part starts,i started chemotherapy march 10th three days after my 39th birthday and did 4 and a half months of chemo then straight into 6 weeks of radiation everyday,then while i was doing radiation i would drive straight to work when done everyday with radiation because of gonna lose my job if i didnt go to work,then hear we go again now 2 months of therapy on arm because of the lymph nodes being removed it was causing swelling but i still kept going through all of this everyday and i think you have to be a strong person to go through this and i just wasnt ready to give up so never let anything stop you.

michelle
xenia, OH

Pink Ribbon

Feb 7, 2011 will be my 5 year anniversary of being cancer free! Every day I would try to wear something pink as that is such a significant color in my life. As a tribute to those who have had, will have or have died from breast cancer, I had the pink ribbon tattooed over my scar during breast cancer awareness month 2010. Self exams every month and mammograms are so important as it save my life. Think pink!!!!

Ramona Reeves
Cumming, GA

3 1/2 Years Free

It has been 3 1/2 years since breast cancer. My first reaction was I wanted it out and the sooner the better. I knew it was not going to take my life without a fight and I was healed by the stripes that my LORD and Savior took...Praise God HE carried me through the fire.

Cindy Fannin
Mckenzie, AL

3 generations of breast cancer

my grandmother and my mother and then me, i always knew my turn would be coming but when i heard the words you have breast cancer still shocked me. Chemo was horrible spent 3 weeks in the hosp with low blood counts. Did radiation and that was alot better than the chemo. So as i am sitting here with band-aids on my boobs again having 2 more lumps biopsied and thinking the worst, 2010 chemo and radition thinking 2011 will be the same, all i have to do is keep thinking positive and keep smiling it could be so much worse i am breathing and i have great family and friends

jackie colby
Fitchburg, MA

I hit my 3 year mark

Wow it has been 3 years since my cancer surgery. Everyday I thank my GP, had she not insisted on me seeing a breast cancer specialist I might not be telling todays story.
On November 9, 2007 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. On December 10, 2007 I had a double mastectomy and started reconstruction. My cancer was so deep that my 'perfect' mammograms did not find. I had put off the recommended preventative surgery that my GP wanted me to check out, finally with the urging of my husband I talked to the specialist. She said do 3 things, have genetic testing done, have a MRI done and if I wanted to have reconstruction done, a plastic surgeon.
It took 1 month and 1 day to get me into the operating room. I was 5 hours in surgery, when I came out my husband was there with my oldest daughter and 3 of my grandchildren. I got the news that they got all of the cancer. YEA.
I was told at my 18 month mark that i needed to have treatments done. My cancer was hormone receptive and my hormone levels were too high. I had 3 choices at that time, 1- surgery to remove my ovaries (I had uterine cancer 11 years prior) 2- shots in my arm, or 3 shots in my stomach. 18 months of shots down. Live, Laugh, Love..Lets find a cure.
Mary
Cleveland, OH

Mary
Ceveland, OH

The Cost of having Cancer

Hello My name is Wanda White and I found out that I had cancer in my left breast in Nov,4 2004 it was the worst day of my life .When I did not show up for work that night at a church camp I work at they know what my out come was.I called my Doctor to find out that it was cancer I got in my car and drove I did know where to go .It was thoughts of should I go on to work .I could not so I turn around and went back home.Lost a lot of thinking to do.May Insurance had just started Nov.1 ,04 But they refused to pay for my care telling me it was pre-exs.So a program called every womans life help me with the care .Thank You Every womans Life.But I could only get help from Dec.01,2004 I was left with a hospital bill around 10,0000 and a surgen bill of over 700.00 I wrote my congress man who told me to contact my soc,worker and ask then to go back to Nov.15,04 the day of my surgery.I called and left msg a number of times with no return calls.I gave up.The system had felled me.A worker with every womans life to me I should have never seen a bill for my care .But I did.We had to take a sec.morage on our home and a personal loan to to pay all the bills.And then in June 2006 after having a lump remove from my right breast and was told before the removal it was not cancer,I go for a check up and the Doctor told me it was cancer and that he had got it all once again.I have had 66 treatment ,almost 5 yr.of tamoxifen.still counting
Wanda

Wanda White
Elliston, VA