January 21, 2009 - Biopsy on my left breast for a lump that showed up on an MRI that was ordered after I found a lump in my RIGHT breast.
January 23, 2009 - My 45th birthday. Boyfriend takes me to NY to celebrate. Cell phone rings just as we check into our hotel. It's my doctor. I don't answer. If it's bad news I don't want it to spoil my weekend.
January 26, 2009 - My doctor calls again. It's cancer. Stage I. Caught early. We talk about a lumpectomy, later scheduled for February 4. That goes well. After, I tell my daughters, age 11 and 8, what's going on. Don't know that they fully understand, but they know.
April 2, 2009 - First round of chemo. My hair starts to fall out 11 days later. My children help cut my hair, and give me a mohawk in the process. :o) Three more rounds to go, then 36 rounds of radiation.
June 4, 2009 - Last round of chemo. Two days later I walk in my first Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Exhilarating. Radiation starts July 17, five days a week.
September 11, 2009 - Last round of radiation. Through it all I never became physically ill, thank goodness, nor missed work except for my chemo/radiation and doctor appointments.
December 14, 2009 - First mammogram after treatments. I get a clean bill of health. Hallelujah!!
January 1, 2010 - Call friends/family to wish them well in the New Year. Filled them in on my goings on of 2009. Some were upset: "why didn't you tell me?! I would've been there with you." That's exactly what I didn't want. No pity party here.
You see, I am still me. Yes, I had cancer, but cancer never had me.
Crofton, MD