On November 01, 2001 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. This condition may not raise eyebrows unless it happened to you and you happened to be a woman. In my case, breast cancer raised more than a few eyebrows since I am a man. Believe, me I was shocked and surprised. Nevertheless, I went through a mental experience that few men ever stop and think about, even in their wildest dreams. I’m sure people noticed that I had larger breasts then most men, but I didn’t know that it would turn out to be cancer.
When I did discover the lump, it was April 2001. Ignoring it , until the late August 2001, when I started noticing little spots of blood on my white tees. Now I am thinking, what in the hell is going on now? The spots started getting larger and larger and when woke up I would see more and more blood. The months of September and October were spent going back and forth to the doctors and taking what seemed like an endless battery of tests. I actually had to get a mammogram. They found some calcifications from the mammogram and the doctors just wanted to make sure that was all it was. So I had a biopsy done on that 10/30/01. On 11/01/01the dr. called and told us that it was malignant. I had breast cancer.
I needed to tell my family and close friends. I had a double mastectomy on 12/13/01. From June 2002 through July 2002 I endured ten and a half weeks of radiation.
The cancer has come back only once, but I’m in remission now. I continue to fight every day for all persons with breast cancer, especially men.
Sadly on October 19 2013 my biggest supporter, my mama Lora Kirkland passed, but I continue to fight on with her spirit beside me.
Tallahassee, FL
