My daughters are my reasons to go on fighting this horrible disease. I was diagnosed in December 2005, just a few days after Christmas. I had the biopsy before the holiday and was told to go home and not worry for a week-not worry??? I was scared out of my wits, and couldn't think about anything else. I endured a lumpectomy, followed by bad news- the tumor was larger than first thought and there was a second one not picked up by the mammogram (ladies-do your monthly self breast exam!) and they needed to go back and do a mastectomy and chemotherapy. All of my hair fell out and I was sicker than a dog. When I looked in the mirror I saw someone or I should say someTHING I didn't recognize. I learned NOT to look in the mirror. I took a beauty class and that did help some but it's a hard, hard thing to go through. I have gained a new sympathy for all women going through this mess in their lives and have discovered I have many, many sisters who have also survived. There is an unbroken bond between all of us that we can't let die. We must band together to fight breast cancer. I SURVIVED!!! At the beginning of my story I mentioned my daughters- I have three. I was diagnosed at 42 with no family history and no risk factors. This can happen to anyone. It happened to me, it could happen to you. My youngest daughter was afraid her mommy would die. Don't let it ever get as far as mine was (stage 2). Do your exams and LIVE!!!

Bridget
Davenport, IA