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Mammograms didn't catch it, but my dog did

Past mammograms showed suspicious shadows but no lumps. Ultrasounds showed what looked like water balloons. A needle biopsy came back negative - nothing wrong. The technicians seemed concerned but the diagnosis was always cysts. Then one day right before my 50th birthday I was throwing the ball for my dog and had awful pain in my right breast. I made an appointment right away but almost canceled it because the pain went away. My primary care physician sent me to a surgeon who sent me for a needle biopsy. Got a call the same day that I had breast cancer. It was lobular. The size of a Roma tomato and never picked up by a mammo or ultrasound. Never go for a biopsy on Friday the 13th! It's been five years since I started chemo.
My mother was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer two years later. Also never picked up by mammograms. She had both lobular and ductal.
We both have a BRAC variation. Not the mutation usually followed, but a variation. Now I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop - cancer in the left breast or ovarian cancer? Which will it be?
I wouldn't want to repeat the treatment, but would if necessary. I definitely have a different outlook on life - don't sweat the small stuff or worry about how clean the house is. Enjoy life, friends, lovers, pets, beautiful flowers.

Anne Plummer
Copperopolis, CA

A new lease on life

HELLO MY SISTERS OUT IN BREAST CANCER WORLD, MY NAME IS JUDI HUARD, I AM 60 YEARS YOUNG. I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE 2 BREAST CANCER IN 1999. I FOUND OUT I CARRY THE BRACA GENE WITH A HER-2-NEW FACTOR, WHAT A HIT IN THE HEAD! BUT THE BIG" C" HAS NOT STOPPED ME. I AM NOW ACTING ON T.V. DOING COMMERCIALS,AND MOVIES. I JUST COMPLETED MY 5TH RE-CONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY, AND MY SURGEON, DR. JEFFERY GIBSON IN COCONUT GROVE, BROUGHT BACK MY BREATS VERY CLOSE TO PERFECT. I FEEL I HAVE MY WOMEN HOOD BACK. I HAD DEFORMED BREASTS, NO NIPPLES, LUMPS AND BUMPS JUST HORRIBLE. NOW I HAVE PERFECT NIPPLES,AND SMOOTH SKIN, 99% TO PERFECT. JUST THE SCARS OF BEING A WORRIER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST OUR DISEASE. I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU NOT TO GIVE UP, IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD RE-CONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY,OR ARE CONTEMPLATING SURGERY, GO FOR IT!! IF YOU ARE FORTUNATE TO TRAVEL, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND MY SURGEON,HE IS A PERFECTIONIST AND ARTIST. IN CLOSING I WISH ALL OF YOU A LONG HAPPY LIFE.

JUDI HUARD

Judi Huard
pembroke pines, FL

No mammogram

In June of 2008 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had the lumpectomy, the lymph nodes taken out and then 6 1/2 weeks of radiation therapy. All was good and then I lost my insurance. I have hit every brick wall there is when it comes to free mammograms. I am supposed to have one every 6 months, along with a breast check, but with no insurance and my husbands' job not producing much work right now I can't get the care I need. I keep getting the same story about free mammograms, until I tell them that I have a history of breast cancer and then the door slams shut. You can only get free mammograms if you have no history of breast cancer. That is the strangest thing I have ever heard. I finally did get a free breast exam, but still no mammogram. They tell me that in one year they will pay for one. What am I to do until then? Pray?

That's my story so far.

Anonymous
Grain Valley, MO

Fight it like a girl and beat it like a woman

In Janurary 2009 I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. In November I felt a small lump in my right breast. A week later my OBGYN sent me for a mammogram. When he received the results he sent me over to a surgeon and exactly a week after the mammogram I had an ultra sound and needle biopsy done. Two days after the biopsy my surgeon called me into his office and explained to me I had breast cancer. My tumor had almost trippled in size from the time of the mamogram to the ultra sound (7 days). He wanted to take me right over to the hospital to do a bilateral masectomy. But I need my parents from Oklahoma to be with me so we waited until the next morning. I then completed months of chemo. 2 months ago I had tissue expanders in. Here in 4 to 6 weeks I will be able to receive the implants. The tissue expanders have been the hardest part.
Not one time I have I cried over having breast cancer or even asked why me. The best advised I can give to anyone going through breast cancer is to stay strong. Don't cry or get depressed over it. It will only make things harder for you. Having a good support system also helps. Don't feel bad asking for help. My son, friends and family are the reason why I am still here.

jamie kay
Chandler, AZ

My "20" year survival Gratitude story

On August 28th 2009, on my daughter Jennilyns 30th birthday I celebrated my '20" year survival of being diagnosed with Breast CA at the age of 32! The memory of that day will stay with me all the years of my life. The exact moment I heard those 3 words, " you have cancer" , forever changed my life... but not only for the worse, alot of what that diagnosis brought into my life in the form of change was good. With support of my amazing family and friends and even as far out to people whos lives have touched mine I have learned to appreciate with deep gratitude every moment of my life. And to never take for granted anything that comes into my life. I carry with me the spirit of Grace and Gratitude to see me through lifes darkest hours. May the Grace of God wrap around you and keep you safe from all of lifes trials, never look back...ALWAYS "LOOK UP""""""""'' that is where you will find your inner strength....

Theresa Devereux
New York Mills, NY

The best thing that ever happen to me.

My name is Victoria Carter, I am 27 years old. I am a single mom of my three year old daughter. When I was 24 I was diagnosed with stage 2b Breast Cancer w/ 2 out of 30 lymph nodes positive. I gave birth to a beautiful daughter 12/15/05. Soon I noticed a lump in my left breast. All the doctors that I saw told me it was a clogged milk duct and it would go away. I heard over and over again that I was too young for cancer. A few months went by and another lump grew. I was tired of hurting and waiting for them to go away so I push to have them removed. So finally I had my lumpectomy in November of 2006. The Monday after my surgery I was called back to the doctors office. They sat me down, all by myself, and told me that I had Breast Cancer. I looked the doctor in the eye and asked, "whats the next step? How do we fix it?" I went through six months of chemotherapy. Lost my hair, lost my marriage, but I still had that beautiful bundle of joy by my side that I had to live for. She was the reason I kept fighting.The doctors finally narrowed my cancer down to being pregnant with my daughter. They are still not sure as to how long I actually had cancer. I am now 27 years old and perusing a career in nursing with hopes to work at a breast cancer center. I want other people to know that they are not alone, and never give up.

Victoria Carter
Black Creek, NC

God Works Miracles

In 1997 after getting insurance, I made an appointment for an over due well woman visit. When I went for the mamogram I knew something wasn't right by the way the techician was acting.
I waited for the doctor to send me results too long. Then my right breast started hurting and a small of bloody fluid came out. I immediately called the doctor. They didn't know what had happened to my results but immediately started trying to find them. The very next morning I got a phone call saying I needed to see a surgeon right away. The tumor was against my chest wall and could not be felt.They made me an appointment and I was scheduled for a lumpectomy on Friday. The doctors had no explanaion for the pain or blood and couldn't fnd any trace when I went in.
The surgeon wanted me to come to the office the next Monday after surgery and insisted that I have someone drive me. My daughter, sister-in-law and I went to the doctors office the next Monday morning. She told me that I had museounous carcenoma and that if you are going to have breast cancer, that is one of the better one's to treat. She then scheduled my surgery for the lympnode removal which came back negative.
I then went through 6 months of chemotherapy and 6 weeks of radiation.
I have had several scares since then but they have all been benign.
I have to give God all the glory, honor, and praise for the warning and my 12 year survival. I also have to thank all the people who liftted me up in prayer during this time.

Donna Lynette Stolich
Houston, TX

What a surprise

I was diagnosed with Invasive High Grade triple negative breast cancer January 2009 the day that rocked my world.
Wow what feelings you experience what decisions need to be made your life just turns upside down for awhile. I entered this new part of my life with everything I had I knew I had to fight and fight hard especially with the triple negative effect.

I had a left side mastectomy Feb. 18, 2009 with tissue expander for reconstruction. I think the biggest part of this was going for fill ups and just laughing as I watched my new breast grow it was a crazy experience you just have to look at the good when you are hit with something so bad.

I started chemo Taxotere and Cytoxan 4/2/2009 what an experience no one can quite prepare you for chemo. It was doable and I prevailed with my last treatment on 6/4/2009. Had a hard time losing my hair I bought every color bandana walmart carries and wore them cheerfully. I also purchased a beautiful wig however I found it made my head itch terribly so I only wore it when I got dressed up. I also have many hats which I wore graciously especially the one with the rhinestone pink ribbon I just love it.

With everything that has happened I have come out of this a much stronger and wiser person than before. I love life and am thankful each morning that I am still here cancer free what a blessing.

For all of you breast cancer is not a death sentence and is something you can overcome. Just take each day a day at a time and you will also prevail.

Linda

Linda Tajik
Capistrano Beach, CA

My story with breast cancer by Tammy M. Thompson

In July of 2007 while getting dressed for work I discovered a small hard lump on the side of my right breast. I laid back on my bed and continued to feel the lump and knew immediately something was wrong. I called my doctor and made an appointment the following day.

Things went very quickly from there. My Obgyn sent me to a surgeon who performed a needle biopsy. He called me within two days after the test and told me it was positive for breast cancer. At that moment I lost touch with all reality. I was sitting in the passenger seat of my car while my son was driving and my daughter was sitting in the backseat.
My children and I talked. Once we had it out in the open, we cried, got scared and then moved right into solutions.

I made my next appointment with the surgeon who went onto explain my options. We scheduled a lumpectomy, which means removing the lump and also taking some of my lymph nodes to biopsy. Once the surgery was finished the results on the lymph nodes came back negative and I began 6 months of chemo therapy. Once I finished the chemo there was a wait period of 4 weeks followed by 2 months of daily radiation.

No one in my family had breast cancer before myself. I don't ask why or how I got it, I just did. I don't know why I survived, but I do know that I had faith and allowed people to love me through it. My love of God, children, family and friends made the difference for me. I'm going into my 3rd year of surviving!

Tammy
Clarkston, MI

thankful to be alive....

So in 2001 I found out I had colon cancer and my doctor told me he hoped I wasn't too late....I would say, not the best way to inform me of my condition but he was being truthful. I was told after the surgery and chemo that if it didn't return within 5 years it probably wouldn't. I hit my 5 year mark and was thrilled to death to make it. Had my mammagram and colonoscopy and they found breast cancer. So went through that surgery and radiation and I'm still here after 3 years. This was a pure nightmare to live through but I'm thankful to wake up in the morning, but my heart goes out to the families that aren't this lucky....my thoughts and prayers go out to you....

Make sure you get checked every year....you don't realize how important this is for your LIFE.....

Ronette Jennings
Antioch, CA