In May 2007 I was diagnosed with Stage IIB Breast Cancer. I found a lump while doing a self breast exam. I could not believe what I was feeling..." How had I not felt it before"?After a mammogram, ultrasound and needle biopsy I was given the news. There was no family history, and I was only 35 years old. How was this possible? Once the genetic test came back we knew,I had the mutation for the BRCA1 gene.
Now comes the hard part, I am an identical twin, would this affect her? Of course, and now she too knows she has the gene. What is harder, knowing you have breast cancer, or knowing you have a 87% chance of getting it? What about my three children, do they have it, could I have passed this to them? 50/50 chance is what we are told.
I am still battling every day through chemo and will under go double mastectomy and reconstruction afterwards. I am taking life one day at a time now, you never know when you will hear those words. I never thought I would, no one does.
All I can do is be strong and look forward to the day I can say, "I am a survivor."
Layton, Utah
2 comments:
Christina, you're a survivor NOW! I just finished chemo, then a bi-lateral mastectomy and still need 6 weeks of radiation after a couple more procedures addressing my reconstruction. One thing that helped me was thinking "I'm a survivor" all the way through and you will be too. Best of luck. God bless. Sue
I am praying for you. God Bless You, and your family
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