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Katie’s Fight Like a Girl Story (Anorexia)

by 5 Comments
May
10
2012
Katie's Story (Anorexia)

Since I was 13 years old, I have struggled with weight and body image issues. No matter how skinny I was I still felt fat. I couldn't look in mirrors. I began starving myself and got down to a dangerous 99 pounds. After a talk with my parents I put weight back on but the feelings of being fat and disgusting didn’t go away. A couple of years went by in which I would starve myself during the week, binge eat on the weekends, and spend all night Sunday crying about being a failure and that I would always be "fat". I hit bottom again when I managed to starve myself to 114 pounds at the age of 21 (I am 5'7" so it was definitely too skinny). I finally decided to seek help and uncovered things about my past that I had been holding onto all these years and how they have caused my weight issues. Thanks to support from my family and especially my sister I have officially kicked my eating disorder! I just want everyone to know that you are absolutely beautiful no matter your weight and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Anorexia / Bulimia Stories Tagged With: , ,

Kim’s Fight Like a Girl Story (Thyroid Cancer, Uterine Cancer)

by 7 Comments
Feb
25
2012
Kim's Story (Thyroid Cancer Uterine Cancer) LR

For years, my husband and I struggled with infertility but finally, after drugs, procedures and lots of heartbreak, we were finally blessed with a baby (I already had an 11 yr old daughter from a previous marriage). Just 2 short years later in 2006, at the age of 34, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. All I could think about at first is, I was just handed a death sentence. That is what people think when they hear the ”C” word. My own father passed away from cancer when I was 22. I struggled with dealing with my cancer. I didn’t even know I had it until it was already gone but I could NOT stop thinking about the what if’s…What if it comes back?….What if they didn’t get it all?…What if I die? I want to see my kids grow up and have families of their own. Finally, after 2 years of good results and clean scans, I allowed myself to hope. We started trying to have another baby almost immediately after I was cleared from giving birth to our daughter because of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Thyroid Cancer Stories, Uterine Cancer Stories Tagged With: , , ,

Rachel’s Fight Like a Girl Story (Breast Cancer)

by 26 Comments
Feb
20
2012
Rachel's Fight Like a Girl Story (Breast Cancer) LR

So, one night back in April last year, I was so tired that I fell asleep with my clothes on. I woke up around 4am having some pain in my left breast because the underwire from my bra was poking into it. I started feeling the red spot on my breast and began to panic cause I felt a lump. Two days later, my journey to combat cancer started. I went from feeling a lump, to having a mammogram, to having a biopsy - in a matter of about a week. I fell on my kitchen floor crying when I was told over the phone that I had breast cancer. Next up was a lumpectomy and 33 tiring treatments of radiation. My world got turned upside down. But here I am… cancer free!! I fought like a girl! I fought for me and fought for the memory of my mom who passed away twenty years ago from cancer. Cancer survivor and proud of it!! Rachel Submitted 9-14-11 The informational content of this article is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breast Cancer Stories Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Joan’s Fight Like a Girl Story (Lupus, Raynaud’s, Sjogren’s)

by 11 Comments
Dec
21
2011
Joan's Story (Lupus) LR

It was suspected about 24 years ago that I had Lupus when I went to the ER for a horrible sinus infection. I blew it off until 17 years ago when I got terrible pain and was finally diagnosed with 3 co-morbidities: Systemic Lupus, Sjogren's, and Raynaud's. It was scary when they told me I have a disease that has no cure and was considered a death sentence. As the problems progressed, I lost my ability to swallow solid food and can only have a liquid diet for fear of choking. I decided this disease was not going to get to me because we had just adopted a baby and my plans were to dance at his wedding. I also had to help my husband who had a brain stem stroke at the age of 37. I had my goal set that I was going to beat the terrible trio. I have been fighting ever since. About 4 years ago, I had a set back when we were in a car accident leaving me with herniated discs and stenosis of the C spine. It is causing some paralysis in my left arm, but I cannot let that slow me down. Our son … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lupus Stories Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Eden’s Fight Like a Girl Story (PCOS, Cervical Dysplasia, HPV)

by 6 Comments
Dec
20
2011
Teal Ribbon PCOS Story

I never thought of my experiences as a "story". But then I was introduced to "Fight Like a Girl Club" and started reading all of your stories. I have been touched by so many and encouraged as well. There are stories in here that are proof that I'm not alone and while some days my struggles seem so small and obsolete, they are still there and a reminder that health should not be taken for granted. Let's start during the summer between fourth and fifth grade. That's when my period started. I knew what to expect. My older cousins had explained to me their experiences "growing up" - but I didn't have any other friends or cousins my age going through the same thing. After about a year and a half, my periods were so severe I would miss school or have to go home early. I was so embarrassed. Perfect attendance was important to me and this was messing everything up, even my grades. Eventually, as a teenager, I noticed myself having chronic dull pains where my menstrual cramps would … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cervical Dysplasia Stories, PCOS Stories Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Jill’s Fight Like a Girl Story (Breast Cancer)

by 15 Comments
Dec
12
2011
Jill's Story (Breast Cancer) LR

2010….what a GREAT year for me! I had a beautiful family, I started my own photography business, then I heard the words "you have breast cancer". Okay, so that last part wasn't GREAT…but it did change my life for the BETTER. In September 2010, I felt a lump that seemed to be on my rib, so it was hard for me to determine what it was. So, I ignored it for a month. When it didn't go away, I went to the doctors. The doctor felt it, and said, "I really don't think it's anything to worry about" giving me that look as if to say "you are only 37, you can't have breast cancer". Luckily, I went with my gut. What followed was a mammogram, ultrasound, and a biopsy all within a few days. That following Friday I was told that I had breast cancer, DCIS. PHEW…I thought. That is the best type to have…if you have to have any. I was told I would only need sugery to remove the disease, radiation for 6 weeks, and I would have to take Tamoxafin for 5 years. Okay, I can handle that, at least I can … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breast Cancer Stories Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Daphne’s Fight Like a Girl Story (Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma)

by 6 Comments
Dec
11
2011
Lime Ribbon Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

September of 2007 I had finally had enough. My back had been hurting for a few years, just getting worse- this Dr said this, that one said something else. My primary ordered an MRI after countless CT’s with no answer. Two days later I got a call that I needed to see an oncologist- I had some enlarged lymph nodes. Ok, that scared me a good bit, went to see the oncologist. They did a biopsy and a PET- yup, its non-Hodgkin's lymphoma - slow growing but EVERYWHERE - like too many nodes involved to even count. But ya know thats not when I started fighting like a girl. After a few chemos, I could not take the pain I felt all over my body. Somehow this cancer and chemo threw my body into meltdown. The tumor pain was horrid, the vincristine from the chemo was causing nerve and muscle damage. I have fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis so, compounded, I felt like I had been given a life sentence to that firey place below. I had a grandbaby born the following August.  When I heard I was going … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lymphoma Stories Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Anita’s Fight Like a Girl Story (Breast Cancer)

by 8 Comments
Nov
18
2011
Anita's Story (Breast Cancer)

Two years ago this month (Aug 09), I found a lump while taking a shower. I was one of those woman who thought this couldn't happen to me, low and behold it did. I was so scared wondering what was going to happen to me. Friends from work went to my doctor appts to take notes as I couldn't remember what day it was, more less what was about to take place in my new world. Life as I knew it was about to change and believe it or not change for the better. I had surgery for a double mastectomy the end of September and back to work three weeks later. A month later I started 8 treatments of Chemo. The following March I had reconstructive surgery and kept on living….that's what you do, you keep on living. My daughter and son were very supportive but my biggest supporters were my 5 grandchildren ages 1-4. They are what got me up in the morning, smiled through each chemo treatment and who made the whole experience go by so quickly because they believed in their YaYa and even wore bandanas … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breast Cancer Stories Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Carrie’s Fight Like a Girl Story (Breast Cancer)

by 2 Comments
Nov
18
2011
Carrie's Story (Breast Cancer)

I always thought I had 2 fears in life - one was heights and the other, cancer.  Well, I was diagnosed with late stage 3 breast cancer in 2007. I spent 3 days surrounded by family before going to the doctor to decide the plan of action. Of course, my mom went with me to every doctor's appointment. After all was said and done, I began a years worth of grueling chemo and radiation. After my second chemo treatment, my hair began to fall out so my family troops were called in for the head shaving ceremony that turned into a 2-hour melt down til my daughter came and told me I needed to pick myself up by my big girl panties and getter done (love my daughter). That Monday I had to go to work with a bandana on when Friday I had hair. That was the hardest thing for me to do - to face my co-workers in that way (starting to look sick). It was about a month into my treatments that I decided that oh, hell no, this isn't going to take me out like this. So I decided that life was going to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breast Cancer Stories Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Michelle’s Fight Like a Girl Story (Cowden’s Syndrome, Breast Cancer Previvor)

by 34 Comments
Nov
15
2011
Michelle's Story (Cowdens Syndrome)

My entire life, I have had one surgery after the next. They were all spaced about 2-3 years apart and most of them were for different things. The most notable was when I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 9. The other surgeries were mainly benign tumors with several surgeries being for fibroid tumors in both breasts. We never thought the situations were connected, just assumed that I had some bad luck and eventually I'd grow out of it. When I was 19 years old, I was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor. I spent two weeks in the hospital as they ran tests and eventually operated. My neurosurgeon studied my history and suggested I get genetic testing for Cowden's Syndrome which is a mutation of the tumor suppressor gene. I had the test run about 5 months later and it was confirmed. I had a genetic mutation which had been the root cause of all of my medical problems. Cowden's is a mutation of the P10 gene which is the tumor suppressor gene. Cowden's also carries a higher risk … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breast Cancer Stories, Cowden's Syndrome Stories Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,