Kim's Story

I was diagnoised 3 years ago at the age 39. 11 months after my sister died of cancer at the age of 42. She battled the diease on and off since she was 32. I thought that I was doing everything right to protect myself from being another victim. I ate right, had regular mammograms, exercised regularly, I would not take birth control pills and I even nursed my babies.

I will never forget the day that I discovered my lump. I had just drop off my daughter and I realized that the seat belt was bothering me so I rubbed the area because I did not remember hitting myself and that's when I felt the lump. I can remember getting a sick feeling in my stomach because I just knew it was cancer. I

drove home and told my husband we both cried all weekend long. We did not tell anyone. We waited until Monday after having an ultra sound that showed it needed to be removed especially knowing my family history and after my sister had just died 11 months before of breast cancer. When I told my children the first words out of my 13 year daughter's mouth was "Mom you're going to die you like Aunt Lisa did". I told her that I was going to do things differently than she had and that I was going to fight it with every thing that I had in me. I knew that I was going to have to be the strong one in family because my husband was taking it very hard and my family was still dealing with the death of my sister.

I decided to have a bilateral masetomy and to have a strong dose of chemo. When summer was over I went back to school with half of my chemo behind me. When winter got here i was ready to think about reconstruction.I then under went 3 surgeries to reconstuct my breasts. I am happy to say that God guided me through this whole ordeal. My family and I have survived and now know more than ever how precious life really is.

I am fully recovered from the cancer now I just worry about my bones because the chemo and the medicine have weakened my bones a lot because I have cracked several ribs in the last couple of months. I have tried to become an advocate to help breast cancer patients in my town because I feel that God has gotten me here for a reason. I always tell women that they need to looked at all their options and decide what route is best for them and that they need to put their feet back on the ground and take off running and not look back or have any regrets. I also they them to look ahead and set their goal to the future mine was for the Christmas holiday that year. I also tell them that they need have faith that all will be well just go through the treatments and do what you have to do to get well. I also tell everone that I talk to to make sure they do their mammograms regularly and also to do their monthly self checks but we need to know when something changes in our bodies because it can make the differnce in what type of game we will play with our recovery. Had I not been on top of my health I might have fought a whole different ball game than I had to fight. Knowing is power. So keep the faith and move forward.