It was April this year and I was in nursing school ready to graduate in May. My mother in law had just passed in February of cancer and I was getting our lives back to a new normal (she lived with us and was an amazing help). I decided that I did not want to be one of those nurses that tells their patients how to take care of them selves but I was doing what I was preaching. So off to the OB I went and I scheduled my first mamogram. He told me to expect a call back because I had dense tisue. I went and they did call me back but the next look was not what the radiologist liked so the next day I saw a surgeon and the next day a biopsy. It will probably be nothing everyone says. Guess what after waiting for what seemed like forever (and trying to concentrate on school) I was told it was dcis/ cancer and a lumpectomy was needed. Needless to say I failed my nursing final by nine points and did not graduate. I was crushed and had cancer. I was flooded with depression and disappointment. I cried for the whole weekend. It was awful. My dream of being a nurse was gone and I was afraid and mad at God for putting me through all this. I went for my lumpectomy and clear margins were not obtained. I went for a second opinion and ended up electing to get a double mastectomy with a tummy tuck and flap reconstruction. After a long summer of recovery I am proud to say I am cancer free! And I am starting nursing school over again. I am uncertain how next semester will be paid for and how we will pay off the remaining hospital bills and how we will a ford Christmas for our three children but, I am cancer free. I made it through the storm. I have to believe God will provide. I am lucky. My cancer was caught early. I am blessed!

kristina borden
delaware, OH