If you haven’t heard, I was recently diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma breast cancer on October 6, 2023. I’ll tell you I’ve had a mammogram every year since I turned 40 and didn’t necessarily do self breast exams every month like I’m supposed to; that would be my one regret that I didn’t keep up with and find this sooner. If I suggest one thing to you, do the self exams!
I found my lump at the end of July 2023 sitting on the couch and just happened to brush my arm against my right breast and felt it. I was only 3 months away from my annual mammogram. All I could think was how could I have missed this, it wasn’t small I would say it was the size of a Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer. I know that seems big, trust me I’ve been through all the feelings over this. So when I found out, it actually wasn’t stage 1 but stage 3 measuring at 5cm it hit me pretty hard. I try to focus on how God is in control and he had me find it exactly when I was supposed to and he will carry me through this journey. And if I have to lay it at his feet 1,001 times, I will, because I know this is the only way through this.
The process to get from feeling the lump, find out it’s cancer and taking actions has been a journey in itself. Like I said I found it at the end of July and didn’t get scheduled for the diagnostic mammogram till the end of August. Once I got that done it was then a battle with the insurance company to get scheduled for the biopsy. I finally got my biopsy done on October 3rd and found out 3 days later it was cancer. Then, the wait to find out what the receptors were from my biopsy. My dumbed down explanation of receptors is that they are like velcro that cling to the surface of the tumor and help the tumor grow. There are several different types of receptors mine came back as estrogen positive and HER2 positive. Knowing what the receptors are guide the doctors to what the best treatment plan is for me. Unfortunately, chemotherapy was in my future. The day I found out the nitty gritty details of what I had to battle in the future, chemo, surgery, possibly radiation and then reconstructive surgery was actually a relief. I had so much anxiety of the unknown, worried about having to go through chemo, hating the idea of losing my hair (really hating the idea of losing my hair) and having my family watch me go through all of this, weighed heavy on me. However, knowing what was ahead of me made me feel lighter.
My treatment plan is 6 sessions of chemo, one every three weeks. Oncologist wants to treat the cancer to be sure it responds to the treatment and gets smaller prior to doing surgery. He told me I will lose my hair…insert sad face.
Right now I’m taking this one day at a time, that’s all I can do. I have the most amazing family that is supporting me and keeping me laughing through this. My only request of you is if you worry about me or I come across your thoughts, pray for me.
I’ll leave you with this;
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”
2 Corinthians 12:9
