My mom (65) was never sick, never missed work, and very rarely took a day off. Three years ago she began having pain in her lower back which emitted down the leg. She visited the doctor and told the family that they found osteoporosis and were going to attempt to do some treatments via laser on her lower back along with a prescription. We had no reason to doubt this even when I found out she was seeing an oncology doctor, stating it was due to the treatments but denied having cancer.
March 13, 2008 while at breakfast with my daughter and father, she began convulsing. Rushed to the local hospital unconscious but agitated for the next 9 hours. A brain scan came back with a huge mass. They transferred her to the University of San Francisco where we were told that she had been diagnosed well over a year ago with breast cancer and it had metastasized. The cancer was now in the bones of her chest, her lower back, her spine and the deural lining of the brain. Over the next 8 days in a semi conscious state she was given the prognosis of 3 weeks with no treatment at all and with everything available a year.
She spent the next 10 days with radiation to the entire head and has been on chemotherapy every week since April 2008. She is now back working part-time and walking around with the help of a walker for long distances. She remains positive and thankful for the time she has had. When we asked why she had repeatedly told us she did not have cancer even though several had asked her, she stated, "If I didn't say it aloud, it wouldn't be true!"
She remains happy and thankful for every day!
Manteca, CA