This Friday, April 12 at one o'clock, I will startChemo treatments. I would so appreciate prayers so that I have no serious complications from the treatments. Bless you all for the prayers already being said for me. You have no idea how much that means knowing you all are praying for my good health.
I think I was about 3 or 4 years old on the picture with my parents that I posted here. I had no worries or cares, such a innocent back then. Life as I knew it was secure, I was loved and happy.
My life continued to be that way well into my adult years, up until about six years ago. It was October 17 of 2006 when I went for my mammogram, I was almost a year late, because I kept putting it off. I had just been operated on for a benign cyst on my left breast and I was tired of having to go for tests and to the doctors.
I'm so thankful I did go when I did - the mammogram showed the tumor. It could not be felt by human hands. A mammogram saved my life, even though I was totally unprepared and shocked to hear that I did have breast cancer.
I was naive back then, I was frightened because I did not know what to expect or what my chances would be. At that time, the doctors said that I would do OK, because the tumor was small, they got it all with the lumpectomy, and no lymph nodes were involved.
I would only have to have four Chemo treatments and thirty three rounds of radiation. They said this was just a small bump in the road. They made it sound like it would be a piece of cake.
At that time I did not get papers to read about all of the side affects that could happen. And, at that time I did not have a pace maker, nor was I on a blood thinner. I got through all of the treatments through prayers from everyone that God heard and answered.
It was six years from the day of operation, November 20, 2006, to November 20, 2012 that I had been free of cancer. The way the doctors were assuring me that I was out of the danger zone. I was even starting to believe them.
They were scheduling my appointments further apart, and I was starting to let my guard down. Even though I never felt safe, I was starting to think that maybe I was going to be.
Fast forward to my last doctor visit in December of 2012 when I was told this, to January of 2013 when I myself found the tumor.
I thought maybe scar tissue, or fatty tumor, so I was not to worried. I made the appointment to be checked to be on the safe side.
After doctor visits, many tests and biopsy, the results were that the Triple Negative Cancer" had come back, in the same breast and in the same area. I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach - a hard kick.
It was hard to accept. I had wanted a mastectomy the first time but was talked out of it, now I wondered if I would of had it would the cancer have come back. No use thinking that way, nothing can change what was already done. So on February 27 I had a mastectomy, they said they got it all, and no lymph nodes were involved. This time they took 18 nodes, all the way up into my underarm. That is a good thing that they all came back negative. Plus my margins were clear.
I said no reconstruction, if I was younger probably, but at my age I don't feel it is important. Though until I am altogether healed, I can't get fitted for a prosthesis and it is hard to dress to go out.
Triple Negative Breast Cancer is a very aggressive cancer, so far they have no back up plan once done with Chemo.
I just read a good book, the title is "I Want I New Life." That title sure hits home for me right now, because I do - "I Want A New Healthy Life." Key word is" HEALTHY."
My faith is very strong, if it is God's will, my goal is to see my oldest granddaughter graduate from high school. She is twelve going on thirteen and in sixth grade. If God wants to give me a few more years after that I will gladly accept them.
I was one of the ones who thought "it could not happen to me." because I was small busted, and no one on my Mom's side of the family had Breast Cancer. On my dad's side, his sister who was 80 at the time, had breast cancer, but I had not hooked up with my long, lost cousin yet. When we did find each other I found out that she had had BC during the same time as me, the only difference was that she had a mastectomy and was not Triple Negative.
Those that do research are finding out that breast cancer can come from the paternal side also, and we had been told so many times that it was just on the maternal side. Learn something new everyday eh?
My recuperation was hard, because I could not get out of the house, I was very sore, I had drains in, one for 5 weeks and until that came out (just last week,) I had visiting nurses come to check me.
I cried a lot, me, who hates to cry, cried at the drop of a hat, still do sometimes, but few and far between. I had no visitors except once or twice my sons came over with their family or by themselves. When they would go to leave I would start to cry, it just came on. It was a lonely time. Too much time on a person leaves time to think all kinds of things.
So last Wednesday was the first time I drove, I did OK, it did not hurt my arm or chest, but it still hurts when I come up steps. I even went to work for 2-1/2 hours, did practically nothing, but was totally exhausted when I left. Today I cut Ron's hair and I could not wait to get finished because I was so tired. Hopefully my strength will get stronger, I might be fatigued during treatments though. But I am taking one day at a time and making the most out of it, if I find I can't do something then I will stop.
Here is something else you might not be aware of. Did you know that dogs can get breast cancer? So can men. In fact, a dear friends father passed away from breast cancer that had been at bay for many years, only to come back in a different part of the body.
This is a fast put together blog, I am not going to critiqued it or change anything around. It is what it is.
I am thankful for all of you, God bless you
Dee, Dolores Rose, Dolores, ABC Dee, Mom, Mrs. C, Me Maw
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