I discovered a lump when I was 21 and my doctor at the time said I was too young to worry about it. So I put it out of my mind till my new doctor seven years ago asked me about my lump. He monitored it with yearly exams and when I reached 40 my doctor sent me in for my first mammogram. They didn't like the look of my lump, so I was scheduled for a second mammogram and an ultra sound. Next I was sent in for an MRI with contrast because of the size of the spot in my breast. After all the exams I went in for a biopsy to be fully diagnosed with breast cancer. My surgeon offered the options of either a lumpectomy or a mastectomy. I chose the first choice because I would rather have a deformed breast than none. After my surgery I got the results a week later and apparently they didn't get all the cancer so I was given my choice of another lumpectomy or mastectomy. I was told that good news was that the cancer had not spread into the lymph nodes. I chose to have another lumpectomy. That was the longest two weeks waiting for the results. My surgeon was very sad because he felt he let me down and he informed me that the cancer was through out my whole breast so I needed the mastectomy after all. So after two surgeries to save my breast I had to loose it after all. I didn't stop my life because of the cancer. I kept focus on what needed to be done and even did an art show two days after my mastectomy. I wanted to show people that life doesn't stop even with cancer. I recognized when I was tired and did rest but I did the things that I knew would help me to get on the road to recovery quicker. My family and friends were my strength when I needed it most.

Julia
Kansas City, MO