Breast Cancer Survivor

I am a two time cancer survivor. When I was twenty-three years old I was diagnosed with uterine cancer. I had a hysterectomy and chemotherapy. At that time, chemo was terrible. I was sick all the time.  That was in 1983.

In April 2008 I was doing my monthly self breast exam and I found a lump. I was a little confused because the lump was not really in my breast, it was a little higher up. I still decided to call my doctor and set up a mammogram. She told me since there was a lump, she wanted me to also have an ultrasound. I had both tests about a week later. When I went in to see my doctor to get the results the head of the radiology dept. called her and said for me not to worry because what I had was a cists and they will see me next year for my routine mammogram. My Dr. decided to send me to a surgeon to have the cists drained. When I got to the surgeons' office he said he wanted to look at it for himself. He did a sonogram right there in his office. The first thing he said was "this is not a cist and we need to take it out right away." I looked at my husband and he looked horrified.

I had the biopsy on Friday and on Monday the sugeon told me that I had cancer. He then sent me to an oncologist. They explained to me that the cancer was growing faster then normal, and since I had micro calcifications in my other breast I should think about having a double mastectomy. I agreed, and I had the surgery a few days later. They then explained to me that chemotherapy had come a long way since 1983. I talked to my husband and thought a lot about my 3 year old and 1 year old grandaughters. I agreed to chemo. They were right. Chemotherapy was much easier this time.  No matter, I will continue to fight. We all have to keep fighting. That's the only way we will beat this terrible desease.