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

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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: , , , , , , , , , ,

One Year Later…

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Dec
02
2010
96281-119875-one-year-later_large

A year ago, I went for my chest x-ray, after going to see my GP the previous day. That chest x-ray was the thing I needed to start the ball rolling to get my final diagnosis. 48 hours after the x-ray (Thursday), I was to get a call telling me I needed a CT scan the next day (Friday). I didn’t sleep from then until I saw the chest consultant (Tuesday). I was convinced I was going to walk into that room to be told they suspected Hodgkin’s, but now, they suspected a cyst. If only. The surgeon who was going to be removing the "cyst" that suspected it could be lymphoma because of the pain I was having whenever I had the tiniest bit of alcohol. The reason I saw him? Because I was bricking it about the operation, and wanted to see him to see if I could cancel it. He wouldn’t let me. That operation, or at least the thought of it, was the scariest thing I ever had to go through. I spent so much time reading up on it, I’d convinced myself I was going to die. I was asking my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Lymphoma, Lymphoma (Hodgkin's) Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Alicia’s Story (Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Breast Cancer)

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Aug
15
2010
Violet and Pink Ribbons

I'm an engineer by education, so sometimes I think it's easier to explain my cancer experience by the numbers: I've had Hodgkin's disease once, Breast Cancer twice. I was a 20 year old college sophomore, fighting my way through cancer for the 1st time. To diagnose the Hodgkin's, I had every major organ in my abdominal region biopsied, a section of my hip removed, my spleen removed, and for good measure, I let the doctors take out my appendix too. To treat the Hodgkin’s, I had 18 weeks of radiation and 9 rounds of chemo therapy. My chemo regime had 4 drugs. I still have 21 little blue radiation tattoos used to mark the radiation field on my body. I lost all my hair and lost a ton of weight. It took close to 3 years to battle through the Hodgkin’s. At the age of 33, I was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time. I had one lumpectomy and 5 intense days of Mammosite Radiation. For two years, I dealt with horrific side effects from “the anticancer drug” … [Read more...]

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

Seeing the True Beauty

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Aug
13
2010
Anorexia Bulimia Inner Beauty

Just recently I turned 18 and have found myself worrying about the most superficial thing, aging. I’m currently 18 and was honestly starting to develop a phobia at the mere idea that I would eventually have to hit 30 and no longer be considered as young. Eighteen is the age I have always dreamed of being, but I never really thought what would happen once I became older. I even found myself wishing I was one of the lost boys in Peter Pan who never quite grew up. Part of me wishes this summer would never end, sitting in the passenger seat of my best friend’s car blasting the radio. Yes, I want to enjoy this summer, but I also don’t want it to become the high point of my entire existence. I’m sure a large portion of you have heard the song “Forever Young” by Jay-Z. I know that personally it was on my iPod for at least two weeks straight. But then I realized it; this song wasn’t helping me feel any better about myself. One of the lines of the song is actually “let us die … [Read more...]

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