I was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 weeks before my 31st birthday and 3 months after having given birth to my first and only child, Monica. This month, I celebrated 19 years since that diagnosis, and I am still grateful for every day here.
I found a lump while nursing and had it checked out. A quick, 20-minute appointment with my infant in tow turned into hours, my first and worst mammogram as a nursing mother, an ultrasound, and then a biopsy a few days later. They told me there was a 98% chance it was nothing. I was diagnosed with DCIS on July 3, 1995. My first thoughts, as scenes from "Terms of Endearment" played in my head, were, "How long do I have?" and "Who's going to raise my baby?" After the initial shock wore off, I adopted Tigger as my talisman and vowed to bounce back and to raise my daughter.
While we didn't have much of a support network having just moved to New England, I was blessed to have my friend, Blanca, fly across the country to be by my side the day after diagnosis, to have my rock of a husband, Ricardo, and to have family and friends arrive soon after to help me through mastectomy surgery and months of chemotherapy. I am still in awe, overwhelmed and grateful for the kindness, prayers and love that surrounded and supported me, and I'm convinced it's why I'm still here today.
Life is sweeter since that diagnosis, and I live differently. I am grateful for the wake-up call early in life. I followed my passion and made more music, played with children, laughed and found joy. I say, "YES!" to life more often, have travelled the world and lived abroad, have celebrated victories and learned from setbacks. I cry every time I get to witness one more milestone with my beautiful daughter. I am grateful every day. I hope to be a source of inspiration to other young survivors. Each journey is different, and there are no guarantees. Stay positive. Carpe diem. Pay it forward. LIVE!
Chelmsford, MA
