I found a small lump, the size of a pencil eraser, on my left breast. I took my time getting to the doctor because I’m only 27. I pointed it out to my OB/GYN during my annual exam. She pointed out a much larger, deeper lump. The next day I was in a sonogram, and the following day, I had a biopsy for a total of 4 spots including my lymph nodes. Turns out the lump that I had found was just the tip of the iceberg.
The day before Thanksgiving I got the call that it was indeed cancer. Two weeks later I underwent a radical bilateral mastectomy with expanders. The cancer was stage 3. I celebrated New Year’s 2012 in the ER with dehydration from my first round of chemo. I had 4 AC and 4 Taxol treatments, one every other week. I also had 28 treatments of radiation. I am anxiously awaiting my final reconstruction surgery to be scheduled for later this year.
I have a little girl who is 4 and she keeps me going. I had to miss her last birthday because it was when I was having my surgery. But you better believe I am going to make it to all the rest. It has been a tough year but I am stronger because of it, and this experience has given me a purpose in my life that I have been searching for for a long time. To encourage, and love onto others, to help them get through the same experience I went though.
My fight is not over though. I go in to the doctor again in two weeks to check on some ovarian cysts that have developed. Depending on how that appointment goes I may be battling a whole new fight. We are a sisterhood and even though the immediate battle is won, it doesn’t mean that there won’t be additional battles in the future – like recurrence, fertility issues, family genes, etc. But we are all in it together. I love my survivor sisters and would never have known them if I didn’t go through this. I am in the less than 1% that gets breast cancer before the age of 30. I hardly have any family history with it, and the fact that I am a non-smoker, runner, and generally healthy person, is proof that it can happen to anyone at any age.
Lisa K
Illinois
Submitted 8-20-2012
The informational content of this article is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.
This story is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.
You go girl!! I am a 12 year survivor of Stage IV non-Hodgkins lymphoma and God is not done with us yet!!!
Lisa congratulations for winning that fight and keep fighting sister. I am 37 yrs old with 10 yr old and 7 yr old boys. I am fighting a very similar fight right now. I am coming up on week 2 of 4 ac then on to 4 of taxol. I had a lumpectomy and auxiliary node disection with 9 of 14 nodes being positive. Sunday we had a shaving party and 10 of my friends and famiky shaved their heads with me in support. I feel blessed everyday of the friends and famiky i have and the wonderful people I have already met along this journey. Their are still tears occasionally but smiles out weigh the tears everyday. I can’t wait for the day that u get ti say I am a survior how can I help you through your journey. I have my mother a 20 yr survivor and an amazing nurse coordinator a survivor and many others I have met along the way. They show me strength and hope.I fight for my children my family and my life. I am proud to say I fight next to warriors like you.
Lisa, congratulations on being a fighter! I too am a stage 3 breast cancer survivor. Next month will mark my one year anniversary of finishing chemo and radiation. I had 5 of 15 lymph nodes affected. My 2 year old daughter helps me fight the fight every day! We can beat this!!!
Sending all my Love and Prayers your way! I too am 27 and was diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer a year ago at the end of July. I noticed a lump when I was 25.. Of course the Doctor that checked me out then told me that it was absolutely nothing to worry about.. “It’s just a Fibroid Cyst” he said. At that time I believed that you were suppose to be able to trust the word of your Doctor and given my age, I made the mistake of taking his word for it! Two years later was when I noticed a lump close to my armpit. I had the feeling in my gut that at that point, it was more than just a fibroid cyst. I went to a totally different Doctor who set me up with an ultra sound and mammogram. Of course I had a run around with the hospital over the mammogram because I was “too young.” They did the ultrasound a few days after I saw the Doctor and then decided to rush me right down for that mammogram I was to young for. That was followed by a surgical biopsy. The next day I was told the news that I was battling Breast Cancer. A few days after that I had a PET Scan with even worse news. That I did indeed have breast cancer that infected two lymph nodes and about 8 areas of my bones. Spine, Shoulder, Ribs.. Pretty much scattered thru the whole trunk of my body. Completely devastating! Thank God for our Children! I am with you 100%. It’s amazing how strong you become and no matter what the news (good or bad) is.. Your children NEVER allow you to give up! It just saddens me that for women our age, because Breast Cancer is so uncommon that some of us get brushed off until the problem is even worse! Keep on fighting! There may only be less than 1% of us who get such horrible news but know that you are NEVER alone! As my 9 year old son would say, “You are a Warrior!” Praying that the news you receive in the next few weeks is Good News! XoXo