I was diagnosed at 38 with breast cancer in Nov. 2012. My husband and two kids were devastated along w myself. Once we got my treatment plan underway we never looked back. At 38 I lost all of my hair two wks after my first treatment. My kids already seen Mom go from long hair to short then had to see me in bandannas til I could wear my wig cuz my head was so sensitive. It was my daughters senior yr...my son was in 8th grade...two of the hardest yrs to deal with. I learned to schedule things during my good wks like college tours etc. I've been a cna for 20 yrs in rehab so I couldn't work due to my immune system etc. however, I kept telling myself what I would tell my patients and I kept a positive attitude through the next 13 mos of treatment. My husband is such a strong man as he went to every treatment/appt with me. My kids were great supporters as well. They were especially good when mom was losing it due to chemo brain. It was hard for them to see me so forgetful as I have always held us all together but we learned to make a joke of it and we used humor quite a bit. I think for me the hardest part was being a patient myself....I didn't like it one bit! I can say today I am a survivor and I just turned 40 in dec and I have a whole new outlook on life. I have been blessed as I am still here and I try everyday to be grateful for the gift of life. The hardest thing now is learning to cope with people that are negative and always complaining. I have learned that even the biggest problem has a solution and it is still better than being six feet under. Always stay positive no matter what.

Patty
Harwick, PA