My story started in 2001. I had just given birth to a baby and when he was 5 months old I found a lump. I thought it was a clogged milk duct so I stopped nursing, but the lump grew larger. I had it checked out and my worst fears were confirmed. I was told me that it was a very aggressive type of cancer and we had to fight it just as aggressively! I did 9 rounds of chemo and 25 rounds of radiation. It was what I thought would be the hardest battle of my life, but I came through on the other side a winner! I enjoyed life cancer free and appreciated every day I had to watch my children grow up. But I told myself that chemo was too difficult and I would never do it again!
Well I was wrong. New Years Eve of 2011 I found a lump in the other breast. My first thoughts were to not fight because the fight was just too hard the first time. Then I looked into my children's faces and I couldn't tell them that mommy was giving up.
So we went through the chemo, this time only 6 rounds, and the radiation again! After already going through this once before, my body was not happy about what I was putting it through. On the days when I felt it was too difficult to continue, I would look at my kids and remember why I was fighting.
Now it has been a year since my last round of chemo. I am even running a 5k for breast cancer research in one week. I just attended my son's high school graduation. I am so glad that I made the choice to fight because life is worth fighting for!
American Fork, UT