Breast Cancer Survivor

In December of 2007, I had my mammogram, and it came out clean. In March of 2008, while in the shower, I did a self breast examination and discovered a lump. I asked my husband to feel the lump and verify my finding. My son's family was in town from Ohio and staying at my house, but my husband was persistent about calling the doctor. He got me an appointment for the following day. My doctor verified the lump. In May, I had a biopsy of my lump and found out that it was malignant.

I had 3 different types of breast cancer. The board debated whether or not the cancer was even treatable.  On June 3rd, I had a bilateral modified radical mastectomy. Of the 13 lymph nodes removed, 11 were positive. In July, I started my chemotherapy. On October 6th, my husband of 44 years died.  I had a chemo treatment the day after he died, and I didn't want to go but I knew he would have wanted me to.

I made it through my chemo at the end of November. I was scheduled to start radiation on December 2nd. The Friday after Thanksgiving I passed out for no apparent reason. The next day, my knee hurt so bad that my daughter took me to the ER. They ran a bunch of tests and found out that I had blood clots in both of my lungs. I was hospitalized and put on major blood thinners. My radiation was delayed and did not start until Fecember 9th. I finished my radiation at the end of January 2009. In January of 2010 i had a clean pet scan and bloodwork and was diagnosed as CANCER FREE!