After going through MULTIPLE tumultous events in my life in a very short time period, 9/08 I had a mammo that showed a spot in my rt. breast- the same one that I'd had a lumpectomy (& chemo & radiation) in 16 years earlier. I was going to a county clinic & after a series of delays & total messups on their part, I contacted my insurance company & got the phone number of a breast surgeon/specialist & things started rolling. Late 2/09 I had biopsies on the original spot & another on a small calcification found during the testing. Both were positive- the spot was a recurrance of the original ductile cancer, & the new spot was a different type that had just started. A precancerous abnormality was also detected in the left breast.
3/9/09 I had a bilateral mastectomy, stretchers placed for rebuild, & 3 more surgeries because of skin changes from radiation. I am redoing chemo due to the high number of receptors on the cells & facing at least 1 more surgery. (To place the new "girls" after the chemo ends)

I have a RIPPING sense of humor & figure I could teach people how to fight for timely medical care when faced with beurocratic delays, and how to get through adversity & life-struggle with humor & self empowerment. I talk to people and joke about my 'experiences' & teach people that life is to LIVE, as there are no guarantees. I'm no stronger than anyone else- I CHOOSE to fight this way. I CHOOSE to laugh, joke, play, & sometimes cry. If I can help even ONE other person get through it & come out on the other side of the fight with as little stress as possible, then it's worth every second of discomfort.

SUE
R, NY