I discovered a lump in my breast just before Christmas 2001. My first thought was, "I'm dead." I thank God for family and friends who rallied 'round - not letting me give up.
I couldn't have surgery fast enough. I had a lumpectomy to remove two lumps and four lymph nodes. I took a year off from work, having chemo and radiation.
Early detection is key folks, do those monthly checks. Finding my lump six months before my next mamogram may have saved my life.
18 yrs. Ago they found bladder cancer and I beat it. 5 yrs. Ago they found breast cancer and I beat that one too. Now the cancer is back, none of this stops me.
My friend and I do a cooking show on public access channel and hair or no hair we push on.
God bless all cancer fighters and survivor out there. Let's keep fighting for a cure, support your cancer site. We will get there!
God bless them all and thank you to all for the support.
This image was taken at Destin, FL. The beach is where I go to celebrate or to re-energize. The weekend before the surgery to remove my tumor we went to the beach. Last week (September 18), when we went to celebrate five years of my being a survivor, we went to the beach. These five years have been wonderful! I live my life more consciously now.
I was diagnosed with invasive ductal and lubular breast cancer in October 2008 at the age of 44. I asked myself how this could have happened since I had been so faithful in getting my annual mammograms and check ups? It was discovered that a radiologist had noted on my mammogram report a "mass" in that breast 2 years prior, but had never called me, and my referring physician MISSED it in his report to her. I went through a single breast mastectomy and chemo therapy for a year for the aggressive her2 form of breast cancer. I had reconstruction surgery 8 months after my surgery and, although permanently disfigured, I can look normal in clothing.
In the summer of 2009 I got up the courage to call my referring physician about her mistake and asked her to please tell all of her patients to get their transcribed mammogram reports. This is your medical record, and as a patient and you have the right to have it. Do not just settle for the letter they send to you in the mail telling your to "come back next year". If I had seen the words "incidental mass" in that report in 2007, my cancer may have been caught much earlier and I may have been able to save my breast. Medical mistakes happen, and I am grateful to be alive, but knowing that it was all because somebody didn't do their job in the medical field will always haunt me. If I can spare just one woman from going through what I did, then I will tell everyone who will listen, PLEASE get your transcribed report! I have written about my breast cancer journey at http://motherspreciousgems.wordpress.com
God effectively changed my life forever on August 8th, 2008, when my doctor confirmed after many weeks of fear and worry, that I had invasive, stage 2 DCIS of the left breast and a very large, unpalpable tumor at 3.8 cm. In my mind, the only option was a left mastectomy which we scheduled for 9/26. All praise to the Lord, the sentinel node biopsy was negative and the Oncotype Dx gene study of the tissue indicated no opportunity of recurrence so I did not have to submit to the rigors of radiation and chemo...blessed yet again! My faith and the love of my amazing family and friends got me thru this most challenging time. My husband Jeff and I are celebrating my 1 year cancer free by participating in the Race for the Cure in Nashville on 10/10...God is Good!
Irgendwie wußte ich schon, es trifft mich.
Aber ich hätte mir gern noch ein paar Jahre gegönnt. Im Februar 08 tastete ich diesen doofen kleinen Knoten über meinem Herz; die Mammo sagte: alles total o.k.; auch die Sono- totaaal gutartig. Trotzdem wollte ich nicht mit einem Tumor in meiner Brust leben.
Die Testergebnisse sagten aber nicht: tootal gutartig. Eher tootal böse. Die Welt schrumpfte in diesem Moment nur noch auf das blöde DIN A 4 Blatt zusammen, das vor mir lag.
Verdammt, ich war gerade erst 36 geworden- und Krebs passte nicht so in meinen Jahresplan. Am nächsten Tag war ich zum MRT- und nicht nur die linke, sondern auch die rechte Brust leuchtete.
Ich hatte Krebs in BEIDEN Brüsten.
Obwohl die Tumore recht klein waren, war ein Sentinel betroffen.
Nach der OP kam die Chemo, dann Bestrahlung.
Während und durch diese Zeit haben mich meine Freunde getragen- die mir immer wieder gesagt haben, das wir es schaffen.
Dass es mir heut gut geht, verdanke ich zum groÃen Teil ihnen.
Deshalb
Never, never, never give up.
Never.
My mother was a southern belle who was lovely inside and out. She found a malignant lump in her breast in 1973 at the age of 45, and had a radical mastectomy.
Mom was told that if she survived ten years from her first diagnosis, she'd have beaten the cancer. The next nine years brought multiple recurrences of the disease, removal of her ovaries, adrenal glands and lymph nodes, along with numerous cycles of chemotherapy and radiation.
She fought the disease with such grace and determination that there were people in our lives who never even knew she was sick. She continued to care for our family without complaint or self-pity.
On Valentine's Day in that ninth year of her battle, Mom was hospitalized for the last time. I spent the last six weeks of her life by her side. Witnessing her great suffering, strength and her ultimate peace was the most difficult experience of my life. It was also a great blessing of my life, largely informing who I became and who I still hope to be.
The placard on her urn carries the words of my Dad, which perfectly represent her presence then, now and forever: Courageous. Joyful. Elegant.
It still doesn't seem real. I am 47 and things like this happen to other people, not me. I am the care taker, the one they call on and now I find myself on the other end. On September 4, 2009, I got a phone call from my surgeon telling me I have breast cancer. I asked him "You mean its benign?" And he repeated those awful words that I can't seem to get out of my head now. I got off the phone screamed, cried punched my pillows hyperventalated and calmed down. Still not believing it, I called my husband and asked him to come home. Today, 3 weeks later I am recovering from a lumpectomy and three glands removed (all clear). I am waiting for my plan of attack. I don't know my whole story yet but what I do know is my pity party is over. Thank you all for your stories to help me regain my faith and strength.
Through prayer and positive thinking no matter what my treatment is I will survive. I plan on walking the 3 day walk in November 2010. :)
My mother is now 50 years old. She has always gone to her yearly doctors appointment, but this past April she was diagnosed with breast cancer. My mom has had the worst luck with many things, so when the doctor told her this she knew what had to be done. She had both of her breasts removed in May even though the cancer only showed in one. It was a long, slow process that not only gave my mom a free pass for life, but also brought the family even closer than it was. My mom is a survivor, and I thank God everyday because now she gets to look forward to grandchildren and growing even older with my dad.
I was diagnosed in February 2008, 2 months after my mother died suddenly of heart problems. There is no history of breast cancer in our family and I had been getting mammograms for more than 10 years, so it was a real shock. Having dense breasts caused my cancer to hide well, eluding the mammogram. I had a double mastectomy, chemo and radiation. Through this journey I've learned invaluable lessons; learned to not just survive, but thrive. I can not stress enough how the power of positive thinking can change your life and get you through this ordeal.
