Women Supporting Women

My journey with Breast cancer began on a sweet October day. The smell of Autumn filled the air and I was cleaning my house feeling the joys of all my favorie holidays approaching. When I began to clean the mirror I noticed blood on my shirt just in front of my left nipple and upon inspection I found the blood was indeed weeping from my left Breast. There began the phone calls and the start of  a life changing event. In November I was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Cancer and DCIS in my left Breast, it was Herr II positive, grade three with one tumor being almost 3 centimeters. I was blessed as there was no lymp node involvement. On December 1st I had a bilateral Masectomy, I wanted to be safe rather than have the constant worry of the other Breast developing cancer later, this was my decision and I opted to forgo reconstruction as well. Because of the type of cancer the grade and size of the tumor, chemo was the next best option to give me a fighting chance to have a great outcome, so on January 12th of this year I began chemo, ( Carboplatin, Taxotere, and Herceptine). I am now about to complete my chemo last treatment.  I can say I had a rough start due to a stomach virus during the first round of chemo but in truth it has been much easier than my mind had made it out to be. The most difficult moment for me was not the loss of my Breast but the loss of my hair as well. When seeing myself without hair and Breast I looked like my brothers and that felt harsh but in time I have  made friends with the person looking back at me and I realize she is on a journey and losses are part of her learning experience. The greatest help has been a positive outlook, your mind has power, keep everything as positive and normal as possible and you will find everything goes easier. I will be getting infusions of Herceptine for a full year so I will go every three weeks till next January for my treatment,  I decided to do everything possible now in hopes there will not be any reoccurrence. Only time will tell what the furture holds and my confidence lies in my higher power so I shall trust this Cancer has purpose.

Let me add a note to say this Cancer has served me in many ways. I am living a richer life in part because the weeping from my Breast woke me from apathy. I had been weeping internally for so many reasons I could not list them all. That day was a wake up call and I have been letting go of my perfectionism and enjoying the moment each and every day, I no longer take things for granted. I have become less judgemental and more accepting of people and life in general. I have fond an internal joy that I lost some time ago. Let this disease teach you how to live a better life and find the simple joys we have lost in trying to make a life for ourselves and our families.