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Lump found while in the hospital

While I was in ICU, after having a brain tumor removed, I had a lot of pain in my chest. After realizing it wasn't indigestion but the muscles that were bothering me. I was massaging the muscles in my chest and found a lump in my left breast. I mentioned it to my nurses. Finally, after 3 additional months in inpatient rehab therapy, I was transported to the women's imaging center for a mammogram and ultrasound. The ultrasound showed nothing but there it was on the mammogram. So, I was scheduled for a biopsy. I went in for the mammogram guided biopsy with the attitude of Why am I even doing this because, after having my head cut open, there was no way I was having surgery again. Thankfully, the lump was a benign tumor and a marker was left to keep an eye on it, to be sure it doesn't change in future mammograms and no surgery was necessary to remove the tumor. I was blessed to avoid breast cancer but fought and won over brain cancer!!!

Anonymous
Anderson, SC

It was not easy but I made

So I do I begin well July 5,2013 I go to the E.R. My breast had a lumb and they run some tests on me .when they were finish I was told I had to see a specialize . So on July 8 I go see a see the doc and long and be hold was not good . He told me I had to get a biooply done . So on July 10 I got my bio done . Waiting to find out what was going on was driving me crazy . So on July 15 I go back to the doc office wow I was in shock when I was told I had breast cancer . I CRYED so hard I just forgot everything . The dic give me a min to catch myself . He told me my options so I went with taking it off the whole breast .So in Aug I had my surgery . It was not easy losing a breast but I did it . I had a month to heal and the following month Oct I started CHEMO . WELL LET'S JUST SAY CANCER DIDNT KILL ME CHEMO ALMOST DID. I had 6 months of chemo I was a stage 4 cancer . The only help I had was my family and some friends to help me fight this . Every time I got chemo I would end up in the hospital for a week . I am bless to still be alive Amen . Am still not done yet I still have a few more surgery to go . I will come back and let you know how I am doing . God bless you all.

Mima
Kissimmee, FL

I fight for them!

After a routine mammogram on October 31 I was called back for more pictures. After a second mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy it was revealed I have breast cancer. My journey is just beginning but I fight for these kids, they are my life!

We often apply the saying, "don't give up" to school, extra-curriculars, social challenges etc and I now apply that to this cancer.

Thank you for your support!

Jeanne
Cincinnati, OH

No lump, no symptoms but I had cancer

I never had a lump, never had any symptoms, but I had 10mm of Cancer growing inside my left breast.

It was my routine mammogram that was due and the nurse at my doctor's surgery called to make the appointment which may have saved my life. Had she not rung, who knows what may have happened.

I went along, had my appointment and thought no more about it until two weeks later when I got the letter to have more tests. Knowing it was just standard practice, I went alone. I had another mammogram and it showed a tiny blip on one shot only so they did an ultra sound. From there a biopsy. As she put the needle in, she knew, and told me there and then she suspected it was a cancer.

I blubbed a little, just from the shock of the C word but was grateful that I had the extra time to think about it while my test results were confirmed.

Two weeks later, the lump was removed and 5 weeks after that, I started 15 rounds of radiotherapy. Because it was small and caught really early, there was no need for chemo or hormone therapy, and for this I will be forever grateful!

I am happy and healthy, and glad to be alive! Thanks to the nurse who called me that day to book my appointment. If you have not been checked yet and you are due, just go and get it done.

Linda Coles
Auckland, New Zealand

Stronger than I thought

My story begins June 10, 2014 I went in for a routine physical. Being 40 years old I knew I needed to schedule a mammogram and just have routine stuff done. The Dr did a breast exam and found a large tumor. She immediately scheduled a mammogram followed by a ultrasound and then a biopsy.

On June 14 at 11:02 am I received the call from her. I heard the words it is cancer. She proceeded to tell me it was Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Grade 3. No idea what stage it was as of yet because my lymph nodes had not been biopsied. The following day they were biopsied 1 negative and 2 were isolated. So a pet scan was ordered. The
Results were it was only in my left breast. GREAT NEWS. My tumor was 5cm which meant chemo to shrink it followed by surgery then radiation It was stage 2. I begin chemo on July 15, 2014.

Today I finished chemo. This is a huge accomplishment for me. I did 8 rounds and had every side effect there was. But there was no way I was giving up. I take it one day at a time and consider myself lucky. I still have a very long road ahead. In December I will have a double mastectomy and then radiation. After 6 months I will have reconstruction. Giving up was never a option. I walked into the cancer center for each chemo with my head held high and a smile on my face. I wasn't going to let the chemo get the best of me and I didnt. I won't alow cancer to win and with every appointment or procedure I make sure and have a smile on my face. Today marks a very important day for me. For anyone going through the start of chemo I say, although you may not know what to expect you can do it, there is a end to it and don't EVER GIVE UP!!!!!!

Kim Reiswig
Minot, AL

Let it go!

I'm 57 years old, I've already survived polio, my parents were told I'd be in a wheelchair in my 20's, they were also told I wouldn't be able to have children. Boy, did I prove them wrong, 37 years later, I'm still standing, I have 3 terrific kids, 1 grandson and I'm expecting a granddaughter in March. Doctors can't measure the strength of someone's will. I was negligent about my mammograms for about 8 years, did my self exams and let it go. My daughter works in a ob/gyn office and made me get up to date on my annuals. It came as quite a shock that I was diagnosed with, Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, me!!! Then I was diagnosed Triple X positive, thank goodness it's only stage 1, simple lumpectomy, 36 radiation treatments and I'm good to go!! That's not how it turned out, genetic testing came back, I'm also BRCA 1 positive. I have a 97% chance of recurrence. My choices got so much more difficult, I'm already scarred, I've had many, many orthopedic surgeries, suddenly, I feel really damaged. I'm losing my ovaries, and I'm having a bilateral mastectomy. I feel like I've been thrown in a whirlpool of information and uncertainty. I survived polio, now I'm fighting a real battle, I had no idea how many lives this disease has touched, I have spoken with so many survivors, this effects your whole network of friends and family. It's very hard to share the fear and uncertainty with the people closest to you. I know consciously that I'll be alright, I won't ever be the same, but I feel so many things deeper, my life has become richer, I am very blessed and very afraid, it's human to want to run, but you can't run from this, you have to face it. My daughter saved my life, I didn't find the lump, my ob/gyn couldn't feel it and neither could my surgeon, don't count on self exams, be proactive, get your mammogram diligently!! Save your own life, don't wait till you're fighting for it.

Kim
Rochester, PA

Early Detection

Dorothy Jones
1 hr ·
I went to the hospital today for a lumpectomy in my right breast and the lovely sentinel node biopsy.. Thanks everyone for your prayers and good wishes. I came out of it just great. No cancer in the lymph, the cyst removed. My doc only removed a little tissue' I should recover quickly, not like the last time when I had all the nodes removed in my right arm. I am a little sore.
Radiation will probably start next month. 35 treatments if I can tolerate them I plan on another 11 yrs of remission. The cyst was found on a regular six month screening. So Please get out there and get a mamogram; It has saved my life for a second time

Dorothy Jones
Blanks, LA, LA

Just 7 Days from discovery to Cancer Free!

My story began 14 years ago when a routine mammogram showed what turned out to be a “small grape-like cluster of cysts.” Because my Mom had breast cancer and had passed away less than a year before, a surgical consult was recommended. Since then I have been having semi-annual check ups with my surgeon. Fast-forward to January 9, 2014 and what was to be a routine mammography and check-up. When they called me in for films a third time, I just knew in my gut that I had breast cancer. After films, a sonogram and consult with the radiologist, I went upstairs to see my surgeon. After doing an exam and sonogram, my surgeon did a biopsy himself, THAT DAY.

On January 13th, at 7:50 A.M. the secretary at work came to my office to tell me that I had a call. It was my surgeon calling me himself to tell me he needed to see me in his office “TODAY.” A few hours later I found myself sitting along with one of my closest friends in my surgeon’s office. After going over the findings and options, my surgeon walked us out to his surgical coordinator to set up surgery and pre-ops. Within 3 hours of parking my car, I had met with the doctor, scheduled surgery, and taken care of 2 out of 3 pre-surgical appointments. On January 15th, I had a lumpectomy and was CANCER FREE a mere 6 days after the tumor was found! We caught it early, Stage I. The tumor was small, only 1.3 centimeters, but as my oncologist said it was “angry” so we followed up with chemotherapy and radiation. Today, 10 months later, I am living my “new normal”, as a breast cancer survivior, which includes sharing my experience and supporting others on their journeys with cancer.

Hillary
Cedarhurst, NY

Breast Cancer - Passing Through Fire

It was during our Annual Family Medical Exam that the attending physician on thatday happens to be an oncologist. She detected a protruding lump on my upper left breast. I remember telling her i thought it was my collarbone. A breast ultrasound and mammogram were immediately added to my list of test.

The results revealed a 3.2cm solid mass. I have been diagnosed with Invasive Ductal carcinoma stage IIA Breast Cancer. A modified radical mastectomy surgery was done on my left breast. Recovery from the surgery followed.

I went through eight cycles of chemo treatment. I had a rough first chemo treatment because of the side effects of the chemo drugs. I became so weak...I could not take any solid food, just liquids. I went back to my doctor in a hospital wheelchair.I really thought I will be hospitalized and die. My family told me to fight and not give up. Their love and support gave me the will to survive

My oncologist gave me medications and vitamins to combat the side effects of chemo treatment. I was told that I have to be strong in mind and body. I became bald including my eyebrows and eyelashes, my fingernails and toenails turned dark gray.

During these trials, I called out to God and I felt his love throughout my treatment.

The second up to the 8 and last chemo treatment went well already. I actually gained weight (from 89lbs to 130lbs) and I became stronger in mind and body.

I am now a Breast Cancer survivor of 2 years. I have a regular breast ultrasound test and check ups with my oncologist.

These are the bible verses I kept reading and came to memorize. The word of God raised me up...and He healed me.

"...My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak."...2Corinthians12:8-9

"When you pass through deep waters,
I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you.

When you pass through fire, you will not be burned;
the hard trials that come will not hurt you." - Isaiah 43:2

Nina Garcia
National Capital Region, Philippines

They think it's what?

At 33, I had just become a single mother to three beautiful children, 5, 3 and 7 months. Life with their father had been difficult but now we were about to start a new chapter in our lives.
While breastfeeding, my boobs had been lumpy but one lump kept getting bigger and wouldn't go away like the rest. December 19th 2013 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.
That was a really crappy Christmas! The not having answers to the millions of questions running through my head was terrible.
Within a week I was in Sydney, as a patient of Westmead Breast Cancer Institute. I was told I had stage 2B Her2+ Breast Cancer.
February 6th I had my right breast removed and headed home 4 days later. A post op infection meant I needed a second operation and another week in hospital.
6 rounds of chemo started in April and I think I had EVERY side effect there was, but I got through it on the tough days with the love and support of my mum, sisters and kids.
Radiation was much easier but I was burnt badly and that wasn't much fun either.
I still have another 5 months of 3 weekly IV treatment but I'm coming out the other side, feeling much better and the kids and I are nearly ready to move out of my mother's house and back into our own place.
NOW we are ready to start the next chapter of our lives!

Aine Beard
NSW, Australia