My story begins at age 23 with a cancer diagnosis of Hodgkins Disease. 9 months of chemo and 15 days of radiation. 20 years later, November 2008 I am celebrating my 1st wedding anniversary and I felt a lump. Once we returned home I made an appointment for a mammogram in December. The mammogram results required an ultrasound, and those results required follow up by a breast surgeon. By this time we were celebrating Christmas, and I carried the huge gray cloud around with me throughout the holidays. January 11, 2010 I had a sentinel lymph node biopsy which confirmed Stage 1 DCIS diagnosis. The breast cancer is thought to be from the mantle radiation I received 20 years ago. Part of the treatment I received to save my life 20 years ago, gave me a new cancer. That was kind of hard to swallow.
On February 1, 2010 I had a bi-lateral mastectomy with breast reconstruction. Stage 1, after I processed that, I felt so relieved and blessed that I caught this breast cancer SO early!! Yes, I had to go through chemotherapy again, but I knew I had a great survival rate! My husband, family, and Jesus have given me the strength to overcome this obstacle in my life. Now with my final reconstruction scheduled for tomorrow, I am ready to get back to "normal" and continue enjoying all that life has to give me!
Get your mammograms and clinical breast exams! If it's in his plans for you to join the breast cancer sisterhood, catch it early so you'll have more treatment options and a better chance at beating this monster!
St Louis, MO