On Tuesday July 23, 2013 I found my 5+cm lump above my left nipple after showering that morning, noticing the dimpling in the mirror while looking back at myself. I should've caught this in a self breast exam, it was THAT noticeable. I was diagnosed on August 8th and had my mastectomy on September 9th, removing my entire left breast and 6 lymph nodes, 1 which had cancer detected in it. I elected to have reconstruction done at the same time and I am still going through that process.
In October I started with my chemo treatments, having the "red devil" Adriamycin and Cytoxan, with the Neulasta shot (white blood cell rebuilder) the day after. I was supposed to have 4 of these treatments, but only made it through 3. My hair started falling out just before the second treatment was to happen, so my husband shaved my head, then his in solidarity!!!
I went back to work in October during these treatments, but they made me feel so bad, I took the month of November off to recuperate. I went back to work part time in December and started my 12 weeks of Taxol finishing up on February 21, 2014. During this chemo time I was also seeing my plastic surgeon so she could inject saline into my expander to stretch my skin for the final reconstruction in the future. I had radiation therapy also, starting the middle of April and ending May 30th, for a total of 28 treatments.
So now I am all done with all of my treatments, just waiting the 6-9 months for my skin to heal hoping to have my final reconstruction towards the end of this year.
My family and friends have been wonderful during this entire process! Plus I think it helps, tremendously, to have a positive attitude!!! I never once thought that this diagnosis would kill me. Breast cancer is scary, but it isn't the death sentence that it used to be in years past. PLEASE DO SELF CHECKS!!! I should have caught this a lot sooner!
Berlin Heights, OH
