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My Breast Cancer Story

On August 4, 2008, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. This was after having a needle biopsy, which was after having my routine mammogram. Even though the news was devastating, it was caught early enough that I was diagnosed with the noninvasive type. I chose to have a double mastectomy due to the fact that my mother had passed away from breast cancer and I wanted to make sure that all the cancer was gone. I am coming up on my one year anniversary and I can say, "I'm cancer free!" I encourage everyone to do your monthly self-exams as well as getting your annual mammograms. It could save your life.

Kathy Sweeney
Little Rock, AR

Help yourself, before surgery

Do not let you primary care physician send you to a doctor to do the surgery, go immediately to a Plastic surgeon to get the surgery done. My breast is a sad story of how I allowed a "surgeon" to operate on me and leave the biggest mistake of my life. I must live with what I have as my insurance tells me it is now just cosmetic. B.S. It is tramautic to have to look every day at the horrible scar across my breast, no nipple, etc., I am so sorry that no one instructed me before my surgery. Be alert and responsible. Gladys

Gladys Meredith
North Las Vegas, NV

Mammo's really work!

I have had mammograms since my late 20's due to dense and lumpy breasts. After my annual in 2000 I was found to have calcium deposits in my left breast and they were removed with a stereotactic biopsy. When I questioned why a "marker" was inserted I was told it would show up on future mammos so they could keep an eye on that spot for possible cancer. In May of 2007, at age 46, calcium deposits showed in my right breast. Again, a biopsy was done but this time cancer cells were found. DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) is the earliest form of cancer and many countries don't even keep track of cases. I had surgery and 3 milk ducts were removed until the tissue samples showed no cancer cells and 3 lymph nodes removed that were cancer free. I also had 35 radiation treatments and, after healing, I started tamoxifen because the cancer cells were estrogen positive. Even though my cancer was slow growing and may have not shown as a tumor for 6 to 10 years it really proved to several of my family and friends that mammograms are more important than they thought. With taking tamoxifen there is a risk of uterine cancer but an annual biopsy is a small price to pay to stay cancer free. Due to taking tamoxifen, I also started menopause early but over the last 2 years I view it as a wonderful bonus to being proactive with my health and staying cancer free.

B. E. Newman
Athens, OH

IT EVEN HAPPENS TO MEN

Even though I'm a man, when I was 16 years old, and being a competitive swimmer, my bare chest was always exposed. I held several national records at the time. But I suddenly developed a lump in my left breast. It didn't hurt, but it looked terrible. I would always keep a towel draped over my left shoulder to hide it. Being of the age at where how you looked was so important, I went to the doctor with it. This was in 1956. He took a biopsy and diagnosed it at first as gynecomastia. I wasn't sure but I sure wanted to look normal for all the girls. So he decided to remove the left mammary gland just for safety sake. it turned out to be benign, yet I had a five inch scar that almost looked as bad as the lump itself. But at least our minds were relieved that it wasn't cancer. As I have grown older it still looks terrible, but I'm beyond the age of being afraid of how I look. So it can happen to anyone at any age. I thank God it was benign and we had it removed.

Jerry Masters
Jackson, MS

Nancy's Adventure

I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer on March 4, 2008. I had just turned 40 the previous December. I was devistated, but I knew that I could beat this because I had two daughters to finish raising. I had a double masectomy on March 20, 2008 followed by 16 weeks of chemo and 5 weeks of radiation. I completed my reconstruction on July 8, 2009. I have learned an important lesson that I have passed on to others, There are things in this life you can control and can't control. I could not control the cancer and what it had done to me, but I could control how I reacted to the procedures and treatment, that is what go me through. I feel lucky and privilaged to have gone on and completed this journey.

Nancy Ehrich
Salt Lake City, UT

Self-Exams Are Important Too!

Every year I went for my Mammogram, in 2003 I went in April and the results were good. I still did my self exams and in November of that year I felt a lump. I went to my doctor and she ordered a biopsy. It came back I had breast cancer. In a matter of 7 months. Yes Mammograms are important but so are your self exams. 6 years later still cancer free.

Hazel OBrien
Marysville, OH

I am a breast cancer survivor

At the age of 43, I was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer. My husband and I were about to celebrate our 25th anniversary. Instead, I had a lumpectomy, chemo and then radiation. I am now an 8 yr survivor and we have celebrated several more anniversaries and I thank God, my family and friends (and my WONDERFUL doctors) for giving me the strength & courage to face the disease headon. It is a life-changing experience but it doesn't have to be a bad one!!

Sandi
Sarasota,, FL

Lifesaving Mastectomy

I was an extremely healthy 63 year-old when my annual mammogram found a small lump in my breast just before Thanksgiving. I was preparing for a lumpectomy when my doctor sent me for an MRI because she did not like the look of all the micro-calcification in my breast. The MRI also found three areas of pre-cancer so, instead of a lumpectomy, I was now going to have a mastectomy. I had surgery two weeks before Christmas and looked forward to starting the new year with the surgery behind me. Then I was told that I had a very nasty, agressive type of cancer and should have chemotherapy.

Luckily I work in an office and sit at a desk because I had to work as much as possible during chemo. I am divorced and needed my paycheck and my insurance. My children are grown but one of my sons took care of me during surgery and chemo. I finished my 6 chemo treatments in May of 2008 and finished a year of Herceptin antibody treatments in January 2008. I feel wonderful and thank God for each new day. My mission in life is to tell everyone I meet how important it is to get mammograms and checkups, and that men can also get breast cancer.
I have a lot of faith in God and I do not worry about what tomorrow will bring. I try to enjoy each and every day to the fullest and am grateful that I am again a happy, healthy 65 year-old.

Carole Holmes
Margate, FL

Only With a Mammogram

I had my normal every year mammogram in April and was called in for a redo because there was something suspicious on the mammogram. I went in and had another mammogram and they found some calcification that they wanted to do a biopsy on. I had the biopsy and it was 0 stage cancer which is the very earliest. Had a lumpectomy on May 13th and they removed all of the calcification. They got all of it out after I had another mammogram to confirm. The radiologist recommended that I go thru radiation treatments to give me only a 5% chance of it coming back instead of 35%. I have to have 33 treatments and I will go for my 19th one today. I am doing okay, just a little soreness around the nipple area but am allowed to us clear aloe on it so that helps. I have recommended to all my friends at work that they have their mammograms faithfully because mine would not have been discovered without one because it was not a lump. Thank God for Mammograms which I have had yearly for many many years. I am a 75 year old female who at my age sure didn't expect to get cancer. I have never smoked and have worked in a smoke free building ever since I started working there 24 years ago. No one in my immediate family smokes. Anyone can get cancer. God Bless all of the Cancer survivors and everyone!

Anonymous
Toledo, OH

My experience with breast cancer!!

When diagnosed I was 66 -years of HRT . After a lumpectomy -was told only a Mastectomy could cure me. I asked what kind of cancer and was told invasive-lobular with propensity of 80-90% spread!! Opted for bilateral=found I was fortunate --stage 1.
On Tomoxafin for 5 months I developed cataracts--when I asked to go on Arimidex-discovered ist side affect of previous was this!!
After 8 years on Arimidex and frequent testings I was discharged by Oncologist==after I had ruptured implants of saline but with silicone edges similar to a tire with an inner tube. upon removal- yes silicone was in the cavity--well cleansed and ok. now with no implants.
Howev er I have learned some have actually molded inside and caused a general Bacterial infection. My advice is forget implants-- at 73,- I am clean and a stuffed or padded bra gives enough contour without the concern of medical problems! branning retired R.N.

Cindy Branning
Port Orange, FL