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Breast Cancer Changes Your Life

In 2002, I was diagnosed with invasive lobular breast cancer in one breast. Since it didn't "run" in my family, I only had one breast removed (via mastectomy with free TRAM flap reconstruction). Within 2 months, my older maternal aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had a mastectomy. 2 months after that - my mother! My mother lives in Florida and had a "drive through" mastectomy. Mom did incur problems with the drains. I'm the only one who had reconstruction. I'm very happy to report we are all well with no recurrences. The only one who needed chemo and radiation was my aunt. My mother was on Arimidex and I on Tamoxifen until it created side-effects Then I had my ovaries removed (went into surgical menopause and became a wild woman). Thereafter I was placed on Arimidex, completing my five year course of treatment. I have decreased my stress level significantly by becoming a Hatha Yoga Teacher, and am now in the process of changing careers from a paralegal to a yoga teacher. I only drink home brewed distilled water, use a nettie pot regularly, have changed my entire lifestyle (no longer drinking alcohol at all), and meditate. I highly recommend Hatha Yoga for all patient/survivors - it gives you the strength and courage you thought you never had. We are all very blessed and know it. I do intend to relocate out of New Jersey because it is a highly toxic, overly industrialized state. One of my very close friends died of breast cancer at 53 on 4-30-09 and 3 of my other close friends were diagnosed within the last 8 years, besides me. We all live in New Jersey.

Anonymous
Southampton, NJ

My mother

My story begins with the fact that my precious mom lost her battle almost 20 years ago. She is in Heaven with Jesus, and my dad and grandmother. I miss her, and I know I will see her again one day!

Teresa
Nashville, TN

angels on earth..

my mom and sister both have breast cancer.. my mom is a serviver of cancer for aleast 20 years and still going.. but it also has spread though her body. but still called breast cancer. she is a very strong women and life is inportant to her and is not ready to leave this life.. she is taking the her2 perseptin and other cemo meds.. and will continue until she tirers out... she is an angel in deguise and is loved very much. .she is 71 years young .... my sister is 44 year young also a surviver. may god bless them both and to all who has lost thier life and /or still serviving...

christine
BELLOWS FALLS, VT

Our mom

Hi our names are Brandon and Bradley. We want you to hear a story about our mom. She is they most unselfish mom. She is always making sure we are taken care of and doing stuff for her family. She runs our great grandma places and grocery shops for her and she helps us with our house stuff and takes care of our dog. She works really hard at work and most of the time dont get home until 7 or something like that. She is a single mom and has 3 of us kids and we dont think we tell her enough how much we love her for helping us and tucking us in to bed and making sure we take showers and brush our teeth and wash our beds. so THANK YOU MOM WE LOVE YOU SOOOOOOO VERY MUCH

Bradley
Hartford, SD

Early Detection Makes a Difference

My mother, Michele Fogarty, was diagnosed with breast cancer on 12/14/09. She has not had a mammogram in close to 20 years. A couple of weeks later, after scans, it was determined that she had Stage IV, very end stage, with it having spread to her lungs, liver and bone. I moved her 700 miles away from her home to be with me and my family. She went through procedures, tests, hospitalizations. The cancer spread further to the lymph nodes. She lost her battle on 2/9/10, less than 2 months after diagnosis. GET A MAMMOGRAM TODAY!

Robin Bowman
Saint Charles, MO

EARLY DETECTION

All I can say is EARLY DETECTION!!!!
In November I went to see my gynecologist.He suggested that I get a mammogram now that I am 40. I had my mammogram done at Providence Breast Health Center (Fabulous Place and Fabulous People). Right after the mammogram the technician, Letricia (WONDERFUL) told me that she saw a problem area and could guarantee that they would be calling me back for a second look. I was a little worried but nothing to lose sleep about. My second look appointment was the following day and they told me afterwards that the tech would call me when they had time to review and the shots taken. In the next few days I received a phone call from Shawna Lucus(Fabulous) the nurse navigator. She told me that they did find some suspicious areas on the left area and I would need to have a biopsy. I had my biopsy done and awaited the results. Now, I started to get a little worried. On December 23rd, I got the phone call that changed my life forever. Shawna called and said they found DCIS in the left breast. feel in his arms and We met with Dr. Miltenburg and discussed all the options and what she could do for me. I decided to go with a double bilateral mastectomy. I had my surgery on February 25th 2010. Everything went well during the surgery and I came home to recover. WOW! Recovery was hard! I have NEVER experienced anything SO painful and the HOTFLASHES!! But I have a wonderful husband that tended to every need which made everything a little more bearable. IF it weren't for early detection I would have never know anything was wrong!!

Teresa
Robinson, TX

I miss my Mom!

My Mom's story with breast cancer is not a happy one. She died from breast cancer 2 years ago on April 27, 2008.

Teresa
St Peters, MO

A Family with History

When I was one, my maternal grandmother died of breast cancer at age 49, before I ever had a chance to know her. When I was 16, my mother was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer and underwent a bilateral mastectomy and chemotherapy. When I was 19, my 38 year old maternal aunt was diagosed with breast cancer, underwent surgery, chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, but in the end the end, lost her life. When I was 21 my mother was diagonosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer and had a volleyball size tumor removed and then had several treatments of chemotherapy. She is alive and well today! When I was 23 I was tested and learned that I carry the mutation for the BRCA-1 breast cancer gene. I began having regular cancer screenings twice a year that included CA-125 blood tests and transvaginal ultrasounds for ovarian cancer, as well as mammongrams for breast cancer. As I got older, breast MRI's were added yearly as well. In July of 2008, I had a propholactic oophorectomy (removal of my fallopian tubes and ovaries) to help decrease my chances of developing ovarian cancer. It took six days for my body to go into menopause, but my chances of developing ovarian cancer had all but been eliminated, and my breast cancer risk had dropped approx. 60%. On New's Eve 2009, at age 37, I was told that I had Stage 1-2 breast cancer. I underwent a bilateral mastectomy on January 13th and started eight rounds of chemotherapy on February 2nd. I have two rounds to go! My cancer was found on an MRI that had originally not been scheduled and was added when I questioned its abscence. Be your own advocate! Get educated! No one cares more about your health than you do!

Dana Conrad
Iowa City, IA

I Will Find Joy

We lost my mom to cancer 20 years ago. After that I had a mammogram every year, but lately I've been leaving it every two years. Thank God last year was one of those years, because they found a lump. It was triple negative, a very aggressive form, but we caught it early. A year later it may have been too late. They got it all and then I had to go for 6 months of chemo and I'm just finishing up 5 weeks of radiation. I'm just beginning to feel like myself again and I'm very grateful.
I knew getting through this would take an act of my will, and I decided that every day I would find something to bring me joy. I kept a journal, both in words and in photographs. It forced me to keep my eyes open for the beauty and joy around me, even in the smallest things. And I stayed close to God in prayer, especially through the depression times.
Doing this has kept me sane through this long year and made permanent changes to the way I deal with life that will help me for the rest of my cancer free days.
I will survive, and I WILL FIND JOY!

Kim Doucette
Hamilton, Canada

Survivor since 1986.

When i was 4 and my brother was 6 months my grandma Joyce Sokolowski found a lump in her breast. She had one breast removed. They told her she had 10% chance to live. The whole time she was battling this she never sat or rested. She continued to work on the farm. She milked cows among other things. She had chemo and never lost her hair. Today she is doing wonderful and is now a great grandma. The cancer has never come back.

Kari Grant
Milton, WI