In 1996 I was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in my left breast. I was 36 years old. A single mother. I had been living with my significant other for about 9 years. We owned a house, I worked for an insurance agent.
My diagnosis threw me. No one in my family had ever been diagnosed with Breast Cancer.
Everything happened so fast. I found the lump, had a mammogram, it came back suspicious. Scheduled an appointment with a surgeon. Saw him Friday. Monday I was in surgery. Partial mastectomy and lymph nodes removed.
Cancer had spread so chemo and radiation followed, along with tomoxafen for 5 years.
I started volunteering with the American Cancer Society. Speaking about breast cancer, my story and more. I had regular blood work and every few years I had a pet scan to make sure I was still “cancer free”
I married John in December of 1997. Not a dry eye when we said our vows.
In Nov 2014 a routine blood work came back showing issues with my liver. I was sent to a hematologist/oncologist she requested a pet scan and they found a small lesion on my left sacrum. Biopsy showed it contained identical cells to my cancer 18.5 years earlier. This cancer had stayed undetected in my body for that length of time.
So that lesion was removed and monthly checks and scans every 3 months showed no progression.
In 2019 I was walking in a 5k stepped off a curb wrong and felt a pop. Called the Dr and was scheduled for a scan, but before the scan my husband and I were involved in a rollover motor vehicle accident. We thankfully were not injured. I hung in my seatbelt for about 40 minutes until they got me out.
My scan showed my cancer had started spreading in my hip, iliac, femur and lower spine. I have been on Xeloda since May 2020 as other forms of oral treatment did not work. Xeloda has slowed the progression.
I lead a pretty normal life. I work, run a small business and run a nonprofit. I go horseback riding when I can. My mantra since 2014 “Got my big girl panties on and dealing with it”.
I will continue to live and do things I want to do. I want to see my beautiful granddaughter graduate high school and then college. My husband had been on this ride since the beginning. It has not been easy for him. But I am grateful and thankful he is still here.