I’m a better person after surviving cancer
— As I turned 40 the fall of 1994, my friend Coni Wetz began to pressure me, “when are you having your mammogram?”
By spring, I succumbed to the nagging and that is the beginning of this story of survivorship.
They were tiny little silver spots. So tiny, scattered throughout the right breast.
Cancer they said. I couldn’t accept it for awhile. Coni seemed to believe them, so I began to read. I visited a surgeon who began to describe the choices. I tell everyone now that this is the hardest time.
Because I had no lump, lumpectomy was not an option. The surgeon recommended a right mastectomy with lymph node dissection. That means pulling out the lymph nodes under the arm and examining them for cancer. If the nodes have cancer then that’s not so good, if they don’t then that’s really good. It basically decides to some extent what other treatment you will have recommended and the number game you are rolling the dice in.
Despite the fact that insurance wouldn’t pay for the left breast, I went for a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. That means they removed both breasts and I immediately began the process for receiving implants.
A local surgeon took lymph nodes out. Praise God they were all negative for cancer. Only time I really remember crying, when he told me the results. Relief will do that.
Here’s the funny part, turns out there was cancer in the left breast and the insurance company had to pay for it after all. Showed them, huh! Also was a moment of thanking God. It’s like you’re strapped into a roller coaster and you get to just hang on through the very low and the very high, all of it a scream.
So I kept reading; went to see the oncologist. He said I really didn’t need chemo. I said, Oh, yea, pre-menopausal with hormone dependent tumor, node negative women . . . clinical trials in England say do chemo. He said OK. The protocol was once a month or so for six months. Went back to the plastic surgeon for permanent implants. Another surgery.
Took about a year before I could not think about having cancer every day. My two older sons were wonderful. My oldest was 12 and my middle son 8. They cooked, they carried their baby brother. They were my reason for pushing on.
It’s been 16 years. I know I’m a better person for being a cancer survivor.
I want to know about you. How are you coping? Do you know someone going through or are you the survivor? What are your challenges? Like mine or different? What’s your story? Use this blog for therapy, use this blog to ventilate. Ask me questions, I might know or I will ask an expert. I didn’t have radiation, have you? Surviving cancer, particularly breast cancer but not necessarily, is like being asked to join a really exclusive club. You’re in, so take advantage.
Wren Stratton, former mayor of Muskogee, is a breast cancer survivor. Her blog located at wreninflight.com
By spring, I succumbed to the nagging and that is the beginning of this story of survivorship.
They were tiny little silver spots. So tiny, scattered throughout the right breast.
Cancer they said. I couldn’t accept it for awhile. Coni seemed to believe them, so I began to read. I visited a surgeon who began to describe the choices. I tell everyone now that this is the hardest time.
Because I had no lump, lumpectomy was not an option. The surgeon recommended a right mastectomy with lymph node dissection. That means pulling out the lymph nodes under the arm and examining them for cancer. If the nodes have cancer then that’s not so good, if they don’t then that’s really good. It basically decides to some extent what other treatment you will have recommended and the number game you are rolling the dice in.
Despite the fact that insurance wouldn’t pay for the left breast, I went for a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. That means they removed both breasts and I immediately began the process for receiving implants.
A local surgeon took lymph nodes out. Praise God they were all negative for cancer. Only time I really remember crying, when he told me the results. Relief will do that.
Here’s the funny part, turns out there was cancer in the left breast and the insurance company had to pay for it after all. Showed them, huh! Also was a moment of thanking God. It’s like you’re strapped into a roller coaster and you get to just hang on through the very low and the very high, all of it a scream.
So I kept reading; went to see the oncologist. He said I really didn’t need chemo. I said, Oh, yea, pre-menopausal with hormone dependent tumor, node negative women . . . clinical trials in England say do chemo. He said OK. The protocol was once a month or so for six months. Went back to the plastic surgeon for permanent implants. Another surgery.
Took about a year before I could not think about having cancer every day. My two older sons were wonderful. My oldest was 12 and my middle son 8. They cooked, they carried their baby brother. They were my reason for pushing on.
It’s been 16 years. I know I’m a better person for being a cancer survivor.
I want to know about you. How are you coping? Do you know someone going through or are you the survivor? What are your challenges? Like mine or different? What’s your story? Use this blog for therapy, use this blog to ventilate. Ask me questions, I might know or I will ask an expert. I didn’t have radiation, have you? Surviving cancer, particularly breast cancer but not necessarily, is like being asked to join a really exclusive club. You’re in, so take advantage.
Wren Stratton, former mayor of Muskogee, is a breast cancer survivor. Her blog located at wreninflight.com
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