A fine way, I say, to wrap up the year of
my 5 year anniversary of surviving breast cancer. Actually, I'm quite
okay. Just wish my little uninvited
guest could’ve waited a little longer... say 60 years or so? So... it appears as though the “Big C” has
not returned with a vengeance, but with a little peek through the window,
saying, “Yoo-hoo. My crazy cousin
visited you five years ago, but I’m the younger black-sheep of the family...
really very nice... but I do like to stir things up a bit now and then. Just thought I’d check in and see how things
are going, and maybe give YOU a chance to stir things up a bit yourself!” So, okay, I’ll let you stay for a couple
more days, but then out you go!
After a mammogram found a suspicious tiny lump in my left
breast, followed by another mammogram, ultra sound, and biopsy, and finally
surgery on March 8, 2006, I was devastated to learn I had breast cancer. I was healthy and active,
and was shattered to find I had a life-threatening disease. Another surgery revealed the cancer had
spread to lymph nodes, which frightened me even more. However, after almost a year of aggressive chemotherapy, followed
by radiation... I continue to hop, skip and jump on planet earth. Thinking there was magic in reaching
that “5-Year Mark,” I was pretty sure
there was no room in the inn for Big C.
How-ever... at my yearly
visit with my oncologist, he felt a “thickening.” His records indicated it was there before, but said it was much
more pronounced now. So off for another
mammogram, which indicated the necessity for an ultra sound. The ultra sound indicated the necessity for
a biopsy. And the biopsy indicated the
necessity for surgery since it revealed that I have... cancer. My surgeon says it appears that I’m dealing
with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in-situ), which is good news, if one receives a
cancer diagnosis. It means that the
cancer is contained within the milk duct and has not spread to other areas of
the breast and into the lymph nodes. The surgery is scheduled for Thursday morning. A lumpectomy will be
performed and the lymph nodes will be examined. If the cancer has not spread and is intact within the duct, I
will not have to have chemo this time... just radiation.
The waiting is difficult... but I’m handling it well this
time. I had my crying spells during the
first few days of thinking I might have cancer again. BTW, crying is an essential step in the healing process! I’ve dealt with cancer before, and I’ll do
it again if I have to. It was tough to
tell my children. I’m worried about
being able to walk my dog if I have lymph node surgery. I really agonize over how Ric, who’s dealing
with very progressed MS, is going to manage if I’m incapacitated. So, I’m hoping that the cancer has not
spread and can be cured by the lumpectomy and radiation alone. In the meantime, I’m soaking up every
moment... from the joys of morning coffee with the Sunday Gazette to attending
the Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. Concert at the Clay Center! Life is good, and as long as I’m alive...
well, poop!... I’m going to BE alive!
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