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A Second Chance

I remember I'm always aware of a single mobile cyst in my right breast. I had sought opinions from several doctors & they said the same thing, "It's only a harmless cyst". Fast forward to present, with 4 beautiful children, no family history of breast cancer, regular visits to my doctor, a normal mammogram last 12/12 plus eating healthy & doing regular exercise, the word "cancer" does not exist in my world. December 2014, my right breast became tender & itchy. My husband whose my rock sensed something strange in my right breast begged me to see my doctor. I confirmed his fear when I saw a dimpling in my right breast, a size of a pill. I went to see my doctor who immediately ordered mammogram, CT ultrasound, biopsy & MRI. March 9 when I received the call from my doctor, "I'm sorry but you have an invasive ductal carcinoma". I cried & cried & I immediately thought of my kids & my husband. I told myself that I will have to be strong & fight if I want to be with them. Last 4/2/14, I had my unilateral mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy (2 lymph nodes checked) which were cleared for cancer. My husband was with me throughout the ordeal. My mother who traveled thousands of miles at a very short notice, came & took care of our children so I can focus on my treatment & recovery. I'm at stage 1 & not needing chemotherapy. I am on tamoxifen with mild side effects of hot flashes, mild joint pains, itchy rashes. I am back to my same sweet life before cancer struck but this time, I'm smiling more, I don't stress out to simple little things, I give more hugs & kisses to my family, I am now an ardent advocate for breast cancer awareness, I pray & thank God more for this second chance in life! Life is beautiful & a wonderful blessing! I intend to embrace every moment of it!

Anonymous
Fairfield, CA

Strength In Numbers

My story starts over 2 years ago, although I was most likely chosen at an early age because my mom had a bilateral mastectomy when she was in her forties. I am 1 of 7 children, and couldn't understand why cancer had chosen me, not that I wished it on any of my siblings. My husband and I took the news in February of 2012 very hard, especially in the beginning when you have so many questions and concerns. After many ultrasounds, biopsies, bone scan, and tested to see if I carried the positive gene(I didn't, thankfully), it was determined I had breast cancer in my left breast, and it had to be removed. The decision was given to me whether I wanted to do the left only, or a bilateral mastectomy. All the emotions that led up to that point wasn't something I desired to go through again. I researched how often women will find cancer in the other breast, and decided I needed to do it all at the same time. I was fortunate that it hadn't spread to my lymph nodes. I honestly don't look at myself as I do other women who had to endure radiation and/or chemo. I am truly one of the lucky ones in that sense, but we are all lucky to be able to share our survivor stories. I was able to start my reconstruction immediately after surgery, and was done in about a year; tattoos and all! As I look back on my experience, I now know why I was chosen, and that is because of my inner strength. I will never forget the support I received from my peers at work, family, and friends. I can speak freely of my experience, and if it helps save a life, awesome! The hardest part is getting through these first five years, and hope I don't have any major side affects from the tamoxifen I take daily. I like to think I have a great network of doctors that helped me make the right decisions for me. Thank you.

Lulie Thurlow
Wallingford, CT

My crazy journey

I have always gone for my mammograms and had always had a clean mammo nothing to worry about , but one day I had an unusual pain in my left breast and rubbed it only to feel a hard lump and for a week kept thinking oh it's nothing but then told my husband who immediately told me to call my gyne. Went to see her within a week and she examined me and said " I'm calling a surgeon right now you will go directly to him from here for a biopsy" I knew right there it wasn't good. Waited what felt like weeks for results.At work on Oct 6th I got the life changing call it was the surgeon "you have cancer" I felt like I was going into a tunnel almost how you feel when you pass out. My husband was and has been beside me every step going for second opinions and finally made our decision to get a lumpectomy. Had my surgery to only find out it was stage 2 IDC and hit two of the four lymph nodes they took! Ugh this meant chemo and rads it was long and sometimes unbearable but I managed to work through it and I am now proud to say I am a 3 year survivor feeling blessed and always praying for the other warriors going through this horrifying experience but with the right support and wonderful oncologist and onc nurses anything is possible! I never thought of myself as strong but I am proud to say if anything positive came out of this its realizing I'm soooooo much stronger than I thought. To my fellow warriors and warriors to come "stay strong and fight" even when you feel you cant do it anymore 👊 Kick some CANCER ass

michele Detlefsen
Orlando park, IL

My ribbon is pink

My story begins in February 2005, where a routine mamogram picked up 2 masses. After a biopsy was done, they were found to be malignant. After the shock wore off, I found myself getting a Mastectomy and under going 6 months of chemo. I was 48. I waited until the following year to undergo the reconstruction as I wanted the tram flap. It was a very painful surgery. But I survived it all! It is coming up on 10 years in February 2015 !

Sandra Broadhurst
New Smyrna Beach, FL

It Gave Me More

In July 2007 I went for my routine mammogram. I was called back to have another mammogram along with an ultrasound due to a solid area detected. When my results came back I was referred to a breast surgeon for a biopsy. The biopsy came back positive for invasive ductal cancer, with lymph node involvement. I chose a bilateral mastectomy as my treatment plan that followed with immediate reconstruction with implants. I had some problems with the reconstruction that resulted in two more surgeries within a six week time period. With the last surgery, I developed an infection and I was having yet another surgery to have implants removed so my body could heal. I then started 8 treatments of chemo, that honestly was the hardest part of this journey. It left me sick at my stomach, fatigued and bald! I never once let all of this get me down, afterall, I was alive, and winning this incredible fight! Once my chemo treatments were finished I started reconstruction all over again, followed by more surgery. This journey has blessed me beyond measure. Little did I know when I was diagnosed with this ugly disease and felt like my world was shattered that it would be my greatest blessing. I have made some amazing friends along this path & talked with countless ladies starting their own journey, answering their countless questions, calming their fears, and letting them know they are stronger than even they knew. We don't have the luxury of knowing our future, but even if I could, I wouldn't change a thing. I know God has a plan for my life, and helping other breast cancer fighters has been so rewarding for me. It's what we get to make a living, it's what we give to make a life. Little did I know on that sunny day in August when I suddenly became a member of a club I didn't sign up for, that a blessing was just waiting around the corner for me. Cancer gave me so much more than it ever took away.

Trina Amos
Henryville, IN

my moms journey with cancer

I'm writing for my mother back in march of 2014 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had to have 3 different surgeries 2 on her lymph nodes she had to have a bunch removed then she had the breast operated on she didn't opt for the mastectomy she's doing chemo n radiation. She has alot going for her she has 7 wonderful grandchildren who love her dearly. She has about 6 more chemo treatments to do n she's off of that for a few weeks n then starts her radiation. My mom did the breast cancer walk this yr after she was diagnosed. She wasn't to thrilled bout losing her hair on her head n having to wear a wig but she got used to it but now her hair is staring to come back n she's happy. But this is just another step she will pull thru in her life n she's doing very well. Way to go mom I knew we could this...

Kristen haney
pittsburgh, PA

Why breast cancer gave me courage

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2011 when I was 37 years old. I was a mother of two young children, 7 & 4 and was terrified when I learned I needed a mastectomy and chemo therapy immediately. I lost a breast and all my hair and it was traumatizing. The experience made me realize I needed to do something more with my life. I had always been a musician but was too scared to play for people. I was always waiting for that "some day". Having cancer made me realize that every day is my some day.
I began to play music, and write it and before I knew it a producer contacted me and within a year I had written a whole album! (It's due out on December 2) I was unstoppable and finally living the life I had always wanted to live. Cancer taught me that I needed to do what it was my soul was meant for and not worry about what other people thought. I have an overwhelming passion for life now. A joie de vivre. I thought cancer was the universe's way of tapping me on the shoulder and saying "this is your path".
Which is why I was so puzzled when I was diagnosed with it a second time just last week. Two lymph nodes under my right arm (the mastectomy side) show as positive for cancer on the PET scan. I have surgery scheduled in two weeks and radiation therapy to follow up for 6 weeks after that. They will dissect the nodes to determine what kind of cancer it is. Should it prove to be different from what I was originally diagnosed with I may be facing chemo all over again. It's like a punch in the gut.
So if the universe was pointing my way before, what is it telling me now? Maybe it's time for me to talk about it. To help other people through it. So that's where I'm starting.
Do a self exam, tell your friends and family and most importantly, savor life. Every moment.

Amy Kress
Lakewood, CO

I am a fighter...

I am a wife, mother, student, and I work full time.At 33 I was not thinking about breast cancer.I didn't want to be sick, but apparently I needed a wake up call. Started chemo on 4/11/2014, was supposed to have 6 rounds of Taxotere, followed by lumpectomy, and then 35 rounds of radiation. Well, I am a self proclaimed "trouble child" to my oncologists. After my 3rd round of that chemo I noticed that my tumor felt larger to me so I asked my doctor about it. My tumor had grown, they had to change my regimen. I went from having little side effects to a chemo called "the red devil". I got sick, weak, and tired, but I didn't lose hope. I spent 5 days in the hospital. I wanted terribly to quit the chemo and just have surgery, but my doctors and loving husband convinced me not to. I was a fighter and I could pull through this. I completed in total 7 rounds (3 Taxotere, 4 A/C), then I had to make a decision on what type of surgery I wanted. Up until this point I was leaning to the lumpectomy, but upon a lot of research, and discussions with my husband I decided that a double mastectomy with reconstruction was the way to go. My plastic surgeon suggested the Lat Flap (back fat and muscle pulled to the front) to help make the new breasts feel more real. A day after surgery I was questioning that decision. The pain was unbelievable to me. I did have the best care taker, my loving husband. He did everything from helping me potty, to changing my dressings. It has been almost a month since surgery, and I am getting back to "normal". I had my first, and subsequently only, visit with the radiation oncologist and received the best news ever. He decided, after consulting his colleagues, that since I opted for the mastectomy, and I got an all clear from pathology reports, that there was not a need for the radiation. I am a fighter, I am a survivor.

Katy J
Simpsonville, SC

Forever Forward

I found my lump on 02/04/14. I was driving home talking on the phone with my Mom and was telling her my left shoulder was hurting really bad. Thought I had slept on it wrong, was really painful. When I got home I checked my shoulder and under my arm, couldn't find anything unusual. Then I checked my left breast and found a lump the size of a quarter. I freaked, ask my husband if he could feel the same thing, and of course he did.

On 02/18/14, my husband held my hand as we were told "Its Breast Cancer". My world as I knew it would forever be changed. I was in shock, scared, and confused.
All I could think was what the next step was, I have to survive, I have a wonderful 6 year old son that needs me.

The following week I met with the breast surgeon, she immediately sent me for test and scans.
Stage IIB ER+ +PR+ GER2+. The tumor on my lymph node was the reason for my pain (1out 8 positive lymph nodes.) I had to start chemo ASAP, 6 rounds of chemo, I then opted for bilateral mastectomy, with immediate reconstruction.

As of 8/21/14 I am Cancer Free! It has not been an easy journey, but so worth it. My husband has been my rock and was right by my side through it all; I am so blessed to have him. Our son was a trooper and let me rest when I needed to and was there to cheer me up and remind me why I was fighting. Our family and friends were so amazing and supportive; I don’t think I could ever really truly thank them enough.

Though I still have to do 30 rounds of radiation and to complete my reconstruction surgery, I am starting to get my life back, my new wonderful cancer free life. Forever Forward.

Ladies get your mammograms, do your monthly self-exams and always remember you are way stronger that you know.

Dawn
Tucson, AZ

Stay Strong!

It was March 15, 2013 when I noticed a grape size lump in my left breast. I didn’t think anything of it because of course I just had a mammogram in November, which was normal. I have no family history of cancer. So I chalked it up to hormones, maybe a bad fitting bra? (what was I thinking). After all, I was in my 40’s. Then it doubled in size by April 1, 2013. I thought OH NO, it can’t be. Within a week, I had another mammogram, an ultrasound and a biopsy. My 'CALL' came at 822am on April 22,2013.

My reaction to the news was complete SILENCE. It was like the world stopped spinning. All I heard was my Doctor muttering a bunch of statistics and then he said “Monique, it’s really bad and you have to get it out soon”. I hung up and called my ‘rock’, my husband. He said “WE WILL get through it, I won’t let you go that easy”.

My first doctor said I would have surgery, chemo then radiation BUT something didn’t feel right. So I took a deep breath and discussed it with my daughter, husband, family & close friends. Together, we did some research. We found UCSD Moores Cancer Center. On May 15,2013, Dr. A Wallace proposed my options. She explained to me that I just didn’t have Breast Cancer, I had Triple Negative Breast Cancer. I may qualify for the ISPY2 Clinical Trial. I qualified and received the investigational drug. The trial required 16 weeks of chemo (12 for the trial + 4 traditional treatment) before a lumpectomy (neoadjuvant therapy), then 42 days of radiation! I told my husband that if my contribution can save future lives, I was all in! God has blessed me with the love of many friends & family!

The hardest part of this journey was telling our daughter, "Mom has cancer"! She tells me everyday to 'STAY STRONG'!

“God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can; and the Wisdom to know the difference.”

Monique Binda
San Diego, CA