On August 8, 2014 I attended a baseball game. The next morning, I was lying in bed and I noticed something different, I had a lump on my left breast that wasn't there before. I thought it was probably nothing because I was healthy and felt great but decided to get it checked out. I thought there was no way it could be Cancer. I had just had a mammogram in June that came back clear! This was less than 2 months later. I went and had an ultrasound done. Finally, after the two ladies were done with the ultrasound they turned on the light and said you are showing signs of Cancer. Hearing the news, I was so shocked as no one in my family has had breast cancer.
I had lost two of the most important men in my life to Cancer; my Dad in January 2005 and my husband in May 2011. I was a 40 year old widow who has suffered enough, don’t I get some sort of pass? There is no way I have Cancer which is what I kept telling myself. I moved to Chicago to get away from the painful memories at home and for a fabulous job opportunity. I have an incredible family, and the best girlfriends. Cancer did not fit into my life plan.
I was diagnosed with aggressive triple negative invasive ductile carcinoma on August 13th . Since the diagnosis, I have been going through multiple doctor visits, MRIs, biopsies, mammograms, cat scans, bone scans, and ultrasounds. I started chemotherapy on October 8th which is called the “red devil” and Taxol. I just finished my last chemo on December 31st and will go on to a lumpectomy and radiation.
I am filled with gratitude and treat every day like a gift. What keeps me going is imagining the good times I will have in the future with my family and friends and I fight for all the other woman battling this disease. We are in this together....
Chicago, IL
