Letter from my daughter - Please help get the word out!
This is long but so very good to pass on. There was no history of cancer in our family, she fell in the least risk catagory and almost died. Please one and all help get the word out that cancer is no respector of persons, it can happen to anyone at any age. In August it will be 7 years since her last treatment. She remains healthy (except for weight problems) and we pray to have her in our lives for many more years to come.
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October 1st, 2004
Today I was asked to write a paper on how I felt when I found out I had breast cancer. Well, that was the day before Thanksgiving, 1998. I had just turned 34 years old and had no family history of breast cancer. I was informed that it was a fast growing cancer and I was to be at the clinic first thing Friday morning, I was scheduled for a full mastectomy on my left side a week from THAT day?. Wow! Ok, I hung up the phone and thought?. ok, I better call and let my employer know I would be gone a bit? hmmm, better do that now so they know to cover me when everyone comes back from vacation. I felt ok, no crying, so I figured I would make the call and get it over with. I made the call?. Thinking, I?m ok with this, it ok?. But, when I started to SAY the words?. I HAVE BREAST CANCER? then I started to cry, I was mad at myself for allowing this reaction, after all, I?m the mother, the wife, the worker, the one that holds everything together! What would my family do, how would this effect THEM, I was thinking of everyone else. Seems funny that I had a life threatening disease but was worried about other things!
I remember being more upset about loosing my hair than my breast!
In hindsight, I get a good laugh at myself over THAT.
I found out a lot of things I didn?t know.
#1- there are a lot of different kinds of breast cancer. Isn?t it bad enough that there IS breast cancer without there being more than one kind?
#2- Depending on the kind you have depends on the type of Chemo they give you and how often. I thought chemo was chemo.
#3- some chemotherapies cause you to gain weight?. A LOT of weight!
#4- Laughter really IS the best medicine! I laughed and joked about EVERYTHING that was happening to me, and it not only made my outlook better but it helped other people to be able to deal with it as well.
Of course, there are a lot more things I learned and felt. But I would have to write a book!
I do feel that people need to be open about breast cancer and how it affects lives. When I was going through chemo and lost all my hair my kids lovingly dubbed me ?Kiwi Momma? Haha :O)
When I had reconstructive surgery I was amazed how many people actually thought that it would be the same a normal breast? another big Haha But I can go without a bra, I can wear backless, or anything else I want without hassle. Now my kids refer to ?it? as ?frankenboob? But we laugh! Always laugh? laugh? laugh?
My best advice to anyone? be positive!! Have fun. Don?t feel self conscious about it; if being open and talking about it helps just one person either, find it, get treatment or just deal with going through it you will have done a great service Don?t think that because you don?t have a family history or that you are ?Too young? that you are safe? do a self exam every month, get a mammogram, be aware of your body. Ask questions.
Most importantly? Laugh? laugh? laugh?
*********************************************
October 1st, 2004
Today I was asked to write a paper on how I felt when I found out I had breast cancer. Well, that was the day before Thanksgiving, 1998. I had just turned 34 years old and had no family history of breast cancer. I was informed that it was a fast growing cancer and I was to be at the clinic first thing Friday morning, I was scheduled for a full mastectomy on my left side a week from THAT day?. Wow! Ok, I hung up the phone and thought?. ok, I better call and let my employer know I would be gone a bit? hmmm, better do that now so they know to cover me when everyone comes back from vacation. I felt ok, no crying, so I figured I would make the call and get it over with. I made the call?. Thinking, I?m ok with this, it ok?. But, when I started to SAY the words?. I HAVE BREAST CANCER? then I started to cry, I was mad at myself for allowing this reaction, after all, I?m the mother, the wife, the worker, the one that holds everything together! What would my family do, how would this effect THEM, I was thinking of everyone else. Seems funny that I had a life threatening disease but was worried about other things!
I remember being more upset about loosing my hair than my breast!
In hindsight, I get a good laugh at myself over THAT.
I found out a lot of things I didn?t know.
#1- there are a lot of different kinds of breast cancer. Isn?t it bad enough that there IS breast cancer without there being more than one kind?
#2- Depending on the kind you have depends on the type of Chemo they give you and how often. I thought chemo was chemo.
#3- some chemotherapies cause you to gain weight?. A LOT of weight!
#4- Laughter really IS the best medicine! I laughed and joked about EVERYTHING that was happening to me, and it not only made my outlook better but it helped other people to be able to deal with it as well.
Of course, there are a lot more things I learned and felt. But I would have to write a book!
I do feel that people need to be open about breast cancer and how it affects lives. When I was going through chemo and lost all my hair my kids lovingly dubbed me ?Kiwi Momma? Haha :O)
When I had reconstructive surgery I was amazed how many people actually thought that it would be the same a normal breast? another big Haha But I can go without a bra, I can wear backless, or anything else I want without hassle. Now my kids refer to ?it? as ?frankenboob? But we laugh! Always laugh? laugh? laugh?
My best advice to anyone? be positive!! Have fun. Don?t feel self conscious about it; if being open and talking about it helps just one person either, find it, get treatment or just deal with going through it you will have done a great service Don?t think that because you don?t have a family history or that you are ?Too young? that you are safe? do a self exam every month, get a mammogram, be aware of your body. Ask questions.
Most importantly? Laugh? laugh? laugh?
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(last)
That is really amazing! What a possitive attitude about somthing that could easily make one crack! Your daughter is AMAZING!
i can relate. I was 28 and the mother of 3 small boys and the emergany room doctor told me i had acute leukemia, and that i needed to start treated immeditly. I was hospitalize for 8 months lost 80 pounds and almost died twice. Went through 2 rounds of chemo, never got well enough for bone morrow transplant. That was 12 years ago. I can remember crying more because i didn't want anyone to see me. When i started losing my hair i had them shave it. (i keep it short now) Life is strange but we survive it. Since the leukemia life is more enjoyable and i even became pregant at 36 with my daughter. She was born fine. Doctors were shocked, but not me i was praying for a baby. just thought i would share
Terri, that's an incredible story. So glad you are doing okay now. I had a friend dianosed with leukemia one month after Mary was dianosed with breast cancer. John is now a missionary in Moscow, Russia; he did have a transplant.
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