National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

I was just 7 months out of a very bad marriage with a 12 year old daughter and 4 almost 5 year old son and I found a lump in my left breat. My mom had breast cancer in 1988 when my daughter was born so I was pretty sure that was what it was, but I had to think positive for my kids sake. So I went though the mamogram and the ultrasound; which the tech was standing there makeing noises so I knew it was not good. But in the mean time of all the testing I had starting dating a man that I had met in December and the night we met we stayed up until 3 am and I told him things that I had not ever told anyone. So he knew all about he lump and the testing and told me he would stick by my side no matter what and he has been by my side every since (we have been married for 6 and 1/2 years now. but back to my story so it was cancer I went through 4 sessions of chemo and then had surgery to remove the lump and lymphnodes and then went through 6 weeks of radiation. I think the toughest part of this was I felt I had enough chemicals in my body so I stopped all caffeine and smoking cigarettes and would not take the compazine they gave me so my man could not even touch me with out me getting a quezzy tummy. So finally after two treatments and him threatening me to use the suppostitories they gave me I went back to smoking and the caffiene and took the pills and was fine the rest of the treatment. So I was told in December 2000 that I was cancer free! So I went to all of my check ups until mid 2003 when I switched over to a nurse practitioner instead of my cancer doc which did not bother me that much but I went in for my first appointment with her she did not touch me she just lectured me about smoking and my blood pressure, I am sorry I knew it was bad for me but the more you lecture the more I reject it. And isn't that what I have a primary doc for?! So I knew I shouldn't have but I stopped going! I still did my self exams lets not get stupid here! Well in March of this year I found a lump in the other breast. It turned out to be cancer again so i have now had surgery and had the lump removed and all lymphnodes on the right side removed, had two sessions of chemo, the first went fine, but 10 minutes into the taxotere on the 2nd treatment I had a sever allergic reaction so they had to stop and change my whole plan. I would have been done in about another month but now I will not be done until November. But the good news is they can do my radiation the same time as my chemo but that has been delayed due to my body is making cysts for the lymph fluid to pocket in so I have my second drain in right now which it will be out in two days (8/3) and then we have to play a waithing game to see if my body does as it is suppose to if not then more surgery is required. But I also had genic testing done and I am BRCA1 postive so after all the chemo and radiation I am having a radical hysterectomy. But I have a very wonderful support team, my hubby, my 19 year old daughter who is getting genetic testing soon too, my 12 year old son, all of the 17 co-workers.