Betty's Story from Tennessee

Near the end of 1990, I felt a lump in my left breast. I immediately made an appointment with my family doctor. He referred me to a surgeon who did tests. In January, 1991 I had surgery to remove my breast.

I opted to have it removed rather than have a lumpectomy, and live with the dread of the cancer returning. The most humorous past of the whole thing was when I had the biopsy. They had inserted the needle into the nipple, and it was sticking straight up. I was informed that I would return to my room. I wondered how I could do this with the needle in the position it was in.

I finally got the courage to ask, and they told me it would be placed so that my hospital gown would be able to cover it. My family was more concerned than I was. Due to the prayers of my church family, I felt total peace during the surgery and following chemotherapy.

Several years later, a lady in my church had breast cancer, and our pastor told me I would be able to counsel her. I felt that I really did not know how as I had such peace during my own bout. I have been cancer free ever since. It is my feeling that the reason I had it in the first place is due to being put on Premarin after a hysterectomy. I read an article in Reader’s Digest that stated besides breast cancer, asthma, and bronchitis, along with gall bladder problems were side effects of Premarin. I had all of them, and recently was diagnosed with asthma. My gall bladder was removed just a few years after I had breast cancer

Jackson, Tennessee