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my breast cancer story

I have a best friend whom has supported me through out everything I had
been through from my breast cancer diagnoses 13 years ago until now.
I took the attitude at the time that you take the cards you are dealt in life
and that you can't change your life cards like you can can your cards in a
poker game. when you are playing poker you can change out your cards to get a better hand hoping to win the pot in the middle of the
poker table well, you can't do that with your life cards. I am grateful to be
here 13 years later enjoying my 9 nieces and nephews one of my nieces
is expecting twin girls due in October of this year. the non profit organization I would like to see win the American Cancer Society

Anonymous
Merryville, LA

The love of a family

My name is Angela Tipton. I am 42 years old. I have been married for almost 21 years and the honored mother of 8 beautiful special needs children. I am the author of Joy Comes In the Morning which chronicles the life of our special family and the loss of our daughter to Shaken Baby Syndrome. Above all I AM A SURVIVOR. In September of last year I was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in my right breast. I underwent my first surgery to do partial mascectomies on both sides in October. We were unable to achieve clean margins and underwent bilateral skin sparing mascectomies in December. I was told we had clean margins and I would not need radiation or chemo. This was wonderful news. My family is an amazing support. June 2010, I discovered another lump in the chest wall this time. I was devastated at even the thought that the cancer would be back. I underwent surgery for the third time on the 6th of July. I am waiting for the pathology report and am believing for a clean bill of health. My family chose to show their support of me and my battle with breast cancer by going PINK, literally. My wondeful, loving husband had his head shaved leaving only a BRIGHT PINK breast cancer ribbon of hair on the top of his head. I have lost sooo much this past year, but thanks to my family I have been able to experience joy in the midst of the storm. I thank God for the beautiful people he has placed in my life and for the healing power of laughter. No matter what the pathology shows, I will continue to fight and will always know that their will be joy even in the darkest moments.

Angela
Hendersonville, NC

Life is good

June 8, 2009 was the day my life changed. My biopsy was positive. All I could think about was getting the cancer out of me! After all the tests and scans were done I had a bilateral mastectomy. I had expanders put in at that time. After months of infections and drainage the expanders finally had to come out. I did 4 rounds of chemo and lost my hair. It was a very hard time. But with the support of my fiancee and family and coworkers I made it.

Almost one year to the day June 10 I had a DIEP flap reconstruction. I feel whole again. Although painful it was definitely worth it. My new breasts are a daily reminder that I have a new life.

Now the sun is a little brighter, the flowers are a little sweeter, and the grass is a little greener and it's all on my side.

Debbie Siciliano
Ocean, NJ

Decoration of Scars, My Badge of Courage

I was 32 years old in 1986 when I found the pea size lump in my left breast. My doctor had checked me only a month earlier but when I did my self exam it was there. A week later, after a mammogram and biopsy, I had a modified radical mastectomy.
The pathologist found another tumor in the breast tissue but my lymph nodes and bone scan were clear. To my relief my surgeon didn't order chemotherapy or radiation. Those kind of treatments really took their toll on my mother who had died 5 years earlier of ovarian cancer at age 64.
I found out I was pregnant about four months after my surgery. My newborn son grew strong on milk from my remaining breast. After breastfeeding, I began to explore reconstruction options. LSU medical school in New Orleans experimented on me with a free flap from my abdomen.They even made a new belly button for me. Everything went well but my scars were prominent.
In 2000, I decided to get tattoos over my scars. They made me feel empowered and even comfortable in a bikini. My picture is from a photo shoot for a book called "The Survivor Spirit" with pictures and stories from myself and other breast cancer survivors. Many of the women I have talked with over the years agree that stress had probably been a major factor in our illness.
My scars are a badge of courage but my tattoos have provided the decorations. I have been a survivor for 24 years. I truly believe that self exam and prompt medical treatment saved my life. Working with my doctors to keep me healthy has been important.
Ultimately, I am the one, along with my Higher Power, who is responsible for my well being. Namaste

Claire McDaniel
Hakalau, HI

God Is Amazing

I returned to the PNW as my parents were 78 (mom) and 66 (dad) respectively and my mom would every sunday remind me that anytime I wanted, I could return and be her bff again! lol. I did and 2 days after I returned she was diagnosed (at 78) with Breast Cancer. She had surgery, underwent Kemo therapy and radiation. As she put it, God sent you home because He knew I wouldn't make it without you near. She passed away at 87 from ripe and healthy old age completely cancer free! She was never about to let "anything unholy have the best of her!" was her quote about Cancer!

Mary
Point Roberts, WA

The miracle of life through the eyes of a young survivor

On February 19th 2010 my life changed forever. At the young age of 31 I was given the very large shocking blow in the words of (i'm so sorry to tell you this but yes its Cancer) At that moment that is all i heard. However , as learning to be my own advocate i had many quick doors open for me that have created this opportunity of being given a second chance at life. Within a few weeks of the diagnosis and after my 8 hour surgery i learned that my stage 0 cancer was now stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma (multi-foci disease) which had somehow managed to travel and infect my nodes. News again i wasn't expecting. But what out of any of this news was supposed to be expected. I have learned in these past months , and 8 chemo treatments later. That the only thing that is to be expected is that it is certain we as young woman have been given this chance to learn to live a new normal. As strong and courageous people that are blessed to be able to change others lives,and pay it forward to those whom may also not be expecting to be affected by this greedy disease. With two small children and a loving supportive husband i am now going to do my best, do the only thing i can ,move forward and HOPE that i may not now live my life in fear of what may be to come . No, nobody should have to go through this but that is too out of our control,so we do the best we can. I will certainly never be the same but know that my amazing doctors, nurses, family and friends have contributed to my "miracle of life".

Melanie Butler
Middlebury, CT

Breast Cancer won't stop me at 24 years old.

I was diagnosed in March, 2010 with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. When I found out that the biopsy came back positive, I was devistated. I cried for about an hour and then went to work to find out what steps to take. On March 31, I had a double mastectomy with reconstruction. In April, I went through fertility treatments to harvest and freeze my eggs. I started chemotherapy shortly after that procedure. I will be continuing treatments through the first week in October. The week of my twin sister's wedding. I am a college student and I have continued to take courses throughout this process. There are times when I feel defeated but those times are out weighed by the good times that I am still able to have. My family and friends have been a huge part of this process and I don't know what I would do without them. I am bald and beautiful and proud of it. Nothing will stop me from achieving my goals in life. This is just a detour.

Janelle Smith
Oakland, NJ

Finding the humor in as much as I can!

I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer a week before my 33rd birthday; needless to say, as everybody says, it was a shock. I have no family history and suddenly have a fairly large tumor in my breast termed as "aggressive" and stage 3. It was about that time the word "aggressive" came out of my oncologists mouth that I thought I would vomit. The diagnosis was just setting in but wait now it's also aggressive? Not what I wanted to hear.

This month has been a blur to say the least...I've had 4 surgeries/procedures in less than a months time and just had my first chemo on June 30th. Everybody has been amazing. I'm seeing the best breast surgeon in the state and when you are with her you are the only patient she has...actually you are the only patient in the building in her eyes! I've chopped off my hair and donated it to locks of love, bought a wig and am making jokes about what to do with my upcoming baldness.

I'm so blessed with a great support system, I'm totally blown away by the support by friends and family. (Not that I thought they wouldn't be supportive.) Through my faith in God, positive attitude, informing myself as much as I can and sense of humor I've managed to actually keep a smile on my face more often than not. I'm seeing this as just a bump in the road that needs to get out of my way! I have a life to live!

Jessica Bowden
Casco, ME

breast cancer at age 22

i was diagnosed a month ago,just doing a routine check and i found my lump an Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.I'm fighting hard to stay strong,still waiting to discuss my second surgery,I'm still waiting for my genetic testing results..i couldn't believe that i would be the one in my family to have breast cancer not that i want anyone to have it,at first i was in shock i thought they took the cancerous lump out and i didn't have cancer anymore, until my mother was telling me we were going to see one of the top ten breast cancer doctors, that's when it hit me that i have breast cancer! i cried that day the most..ever since then i didn't want to cry anymore i wanted to stay strong, i haven't really let out any emotion i go day by day like nothings wrong.i have faith that i will survive this, that i can be that person to go up to someone who will have cancer and i can be a supporter and know what they are going through i can be there for them like my supporters..there are days that i feel like i want to cry and i ask god "why did this have to happen to me? what is happening? i guess things just happen to the best of us. i just wish it didn't happen to me..Now that my journey is starting i can thank god that i will be having treatment and all my results will come back fine and i pray that i do not lose anything, I'm still young and have a lot of things ahead of me.i have my family and friends support as well as the doctors and everyone who will get me back to my healthy self.breast cancer can't win me over

Heather
providence, RI

One More Chemo to Go--and God is Keeping Me Strong

I have completed five of my six chemo treatments. I will ring that bell in less than two weeks; that bell where I receive my chemo treatments; that bell that designates the completion of chemo treatments. I'll still have recovery from chemo to accomplish and then radiation and possible reconstruction as a result of my lumpectomy. I will ring that bell as a Cancer Survivor because of the support and prayers from family, extended family, friends and strangers and because God has lead me, walked hand in hand with me, and carried me when I was too weak to take another step. I will ring that bell and praise God because I am. . . . Susan Victorious

Susan Heimbigner
Sumter, SC