I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer on my 34th birthday. We did not feel a lump, my OBGYN just decided to do a baseline mammogram where we found the 2mm tumor that was sitting on my chest wall. Never in my life did I expect to walk into the imaging center and leaving knowing I had cancer. My doctor telling me I had cancer was the single most terrifying moment of my life. I am thankful that my doctor used her intuition to send me for a mammogram before I was 40, as I would not have lived long enough to have that recommended first mammogram at age 40.
I had a mastectomy three days later and then took part in a clinical trial for Neupogen a drug that rapidly raised my white blood cell count. The trial also had a lottery where the amount of chemo was randomly selected. I was selected to receive triple the normal dose of Adriamycn and Cytoxan. The time I was receiving chemo was the darkest, bleakest time in my life and I seriously didn't think I would survive it as I was so sick. In addition to losing a breast, losing my hair was very stressful to me. It was nearly impossible to find a wig suitable for a younger woman.
My children were 3 and 6 years old and all I wanted to do was see them grow up. I remember sitting up at night crying and praying that I could just see them graduate from High School. Not only did I get to see that, my son was married 2 years ago! I now look forward to being a grandma someday!
Thanks to modern medicine, I'm alive, healthy and very happy. Over the years, I had many surgeries and saline implants that my body rejected and I finally opted to have a TRAM flap 15 years ago.
If I can offer advice to young women facing breast cancer, is it is survivable! We are so fortunate to live in a time where new medical advances are happening every day!
Sacramento, CA