July 31 2013: this is the day my journey began. I had a mammogram in February of 2013, I was at my doctors office for another reason when she found a lump in my left breast. I was 58 years old. In four days I had already had a mammogram an ultrasound and a core biopsy. Her 2, very aggressive an angry 3. A week later I had a mastectomy, two weeks later I went back to have the skin removed because of the aggressiveness of the cancer and two weeks after that I started chemo. It has been almost a year and I have one more treatment of herceptin and then my port can be removed.
I went this week for a mammogram and chest X-rays. I have no sign of any cancer and I feel I have this beat. I know I sound very cut and dry but I know that every woman who is reading this can fill in the blanks, like hair loss, pain, doctor visits, am I going to live? My clothes don't fit, my toe nails are still black, nerve damage in my feet, nerve damage in both ears... I have hearing aids. But I'm still here! I am RESOLVED... I am going to beat this. I am going to live. My hair has come back white, but I have hair. I have lost some hearing, but I have great hearing aids. I have a wonderful husband, two wonderful children and daughter in law, son in law, 2 grandchildren. Brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends... I have a fight in me that I never knew I had. I have a faith that gets stronger everyday. I love more. I care more. I pray more. I won't give up, I won't give in, and I won't give out. I am resolved! I am a survivor!
If you are going through this... Be resolved to be a survivor.
Wake Forest, NC
