diyhealth.com

Breast Cancer Real Stories

Breast Cancer: Real Stories


Real stories are personal stories shared by members of the DIYHealth community. These are stories of hope and triumph over a medical condition, inspiring us to stay the course.

Top Real Stories

1. My family is my biggest

It was one of my routine mammograms that revealed the shocking news to me. The radiologist was worried and told me that there was something wrong. My surgeon Dr. Laurence did not find anything wrong. So he scheduled for a needle biopsy. The wait for the results was terrible. I could not concentrate on anything, eat or sleep. But I had to face the truth and I was certain that I would be diagnosed with cancer. A lumpectomy was scheduled after the confirmation, followed by chemo therapy and radiation. The chemotherapy with Cytoxan and Adriamycin was scheduled for once in three weeks. The surgery was performed in June 2005. I do have some hot flashes for which I take Bellamine. I even took some physical therapy to get back my arm in shape. My family was the biggest support that helped me throughout the ordeal.

2. The lump in my left armpit

I was 32 and it was my second wedding anniversary. My husband noticed a lump in my left armpit. I feared the worse and tears rolled down my face that dampened my anniversary celebrations. But my husband set up an appointment with an OB/GYN. She told me that it was fibrocystic. I was too young to think and worry about cancer. After the mammogram, all my fears were confirmed. I was not ready to accept the situation and just did not know how to act or respond to the situation. I became religious and all I could do was pray. The lumpectomy was done for a 2.8 cm tumor. There were about 8 lymph nodes affected. This was followed by two types of chemotherapy with Taxol and Adriamycin, and a radiation treatment for six and half weeks. All I have to tell you guys is never lose hope. Be confident and move on.

3. My ill fated 26th birthday

When I was 25 years old, all I could think of was how to make the most of my life traveling and enjoying with my friends. After my 26th birthday, I discovered a lump very close to my armpit in my left breast. But it did not hurt at all. I ignored it because it did not hurt. I continued to pursue my studies and enjoy life as if nothing happened at all. After about 3 months, my friend asked me to consult a doctor who referred me to a surgeon at St. Mary’s Hospital, Philadelphia. The surgeon suggested an invasive surgery without radiation and chemotherapy to remove the cancerous growth. The surgery was performed for 8 hours. There were about 78 stitches. I was in hospital for 3 weeks. After the surgery, I was introduced to a special program ‘Reach to Recovery’ which gave all the guidance to people like me. Now I am able to face the world bravely.

4. Days since my lumpectomy

It is almost two and a half years now after I had my lumpectomy. My name is Jane and I am 36 years old working in a restaurant in New York. I never took mammograms seriously until I suspected something. I was afraid to see the doctor and mentioned this to my friend. It was she who gave me the courage to consult a doctor before it was too late. Luckily, it was just a stage I cancer and so completely curable. My doctor advised me to have a lumpectomy. He even cleared all the lymph nodes under my arm. I could get away without a chemo but had to take at least 35 radiation treatments. My advice to all women out there is to please don’t take the mammograms lightly. Do regular checkups and save your life.ย 

5. My road to recovery

My name is Angela and I am 41 years old now. I live with my husband and two kids in Minnesota. I wish to tell you my story of how I survived breast cancer, mothered two children and continue to live happily with my family. I hope this can boost the confidence of many women like me. I remember the day when my doctor called me and confirmed the malignancy after the lab results on the lump that I found under my arm. I could not respond to his call and just collapsed at my work place. The next thing I remember was how my husband stood by me, and said that nothing was more important to him than me. So the first thing we had to focus was the best treatment. Since it was the treatable stage, I had a lumpectomy first, followed by intense chemotherapy sessions once in three weeks. I had to undergo radiation and treatment with anti estrogen pills and tamoxifen. Now, I am back to work and continuing my checkups regularly.ย 

Today's Top Articles:

Scroll to Top