I was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer in April, 2008. My mammogram in November 2007 did not show any abnormalities. On April 11, 2008, I felt a sore lump on my left breast. I saw my gynecologist ASAP. The lump I felt was actually a benign cyst sitting on top of a highly aggressive 4.5 cm cancer. Had it not been for the sore "lump", the cancer would have gone undetected from April until November (my next mammogram appointment). I believe the cyst was God's way for me to find the cancer.
My PET scan showed that it had spread outside the tumor. The tumor was "tagged and flagged" and I did four rounds of chemo. When I had surgery in July there was no trace of the tumor. Just the "flag". I did four more rounds of chemo after the lumpectomy and 34 rounds of radiation. I did very well on the chemo. Of course I lost my hair, eyebrows and eyelashes (as well as other places), and I had some pretty bad days and nights. My skin did not burn at all during radiation, just turned a beautiful shade of brown. I had wonderful doctors and chemo nurses, and my precious husband and family who took great care of me. After my chemo and radiation, I also did an additional year of Herceptin.
I have been cancer free for six years this month. God is an awesome God. I did everything my doctors told me to do and my husband and family took GREAT care of me. Prior to any treatment, I had my church pray over me. I do believe that even though I had to go through the process, God did heal my cancer. I worried that I would live the rest of my life in fear of the cancer returning. God has taken that fear away from me. As any cancer survivor will tell you, your life is changed. But it is for the better. You live each day knowing that each day is a blessing and that life is WONDERFUL! God is GOOD!
Suches, GA