| My habits were not always so good when it came to | | | | stage that a person could have. It is called DCIS, |
| taking care of myself. The two things that I was | | | | which stands for Ductal Carcinoma in Situ. All of this |
| good at was making my annual appointment for a | | | | sounded so foreign to me. I got a pen and piece of |
| pap smear and a mammogram. Today, I am so | | | | paper out of my purse to start trying to write down |
| grateful for that habit! | | | | what she was saying. She told me that DCIS means |
| In November 2001, I went for my annual | | | | that the cancer is in the exact place it started, and |
| mammogram. While waiting for the technician to | | | | had not started to spread even outside the breast. |
| come back in the room after the doctor had looked | | | | Thank you God. |
| at my films, I was confident, as always, that | | | | She asked me did I have a surgeon that I would like |
| everything was fine. When the door opened and she | | | | to use. I did not as I had never even had any kind of |
| ask me to follow her down the hall, the doctor | | | | surgery. She suggested a couple of names, I was |
| wanted to see me, my heart felt like it stopped. | | | | just bearly hearing her. I ask her to decide for me, |
| What was this all about? | | | | and she did, set my appointment up for the next |
| The doctor was a very sweet and soft spoken lady. | | | | week. |
| I felt very at ease while I listened to her. My films | | | | I am headed back to work, saying I have breast |
| were on the screen in from of me, and she pointed | | | | cancer, now what? I just did not believe it. When I |
| to several spots that she thought needed to be | | | | walked in the office, my co-worker ask how it went |
| checked. She told me that she really thought it was | | | | and I just started crying. Now it was real, I had to |
| just calcifications and nothing to be worried about, | | | | say it out loud. "I have breast cancer, but the good |
| but we wanted to be sure. Of course we did..... | | | | thing is it is in the very beginning stages." I do not |
| I made an appointment to come back for a fine | | | | know if I was trying to be positive or comfort her. |
| needle biopsy. This was all foreign to me. I was told | | | | We both cried. I did not tell my husband until I got |
| to bring someone with me to drive me after the | | | | home from work. He was wishing as bad as I was |
| procedure. I was glad I only had to wait a couple of | | | | earlier that he had went with me. |
| days because the obsession started in my head, | | | | I went to see the surgeon, and I really liked him. He |
| what if? | | | | told me he thought a lumpectomy would be the best |
| My husband took me to my appointment and I was | | | | surgery for me, but the decision was mine. I followed |
| in a really good place spiritually that day. I had turned | | | | his advice. The surgery was an out-patient, very |
| the outcome over to my higher power, and I knew | | | | easy surgery for me. When I went back to see the |
| this was going to be ok. | | | | surgeon, he told me that he suggest radiation, and |
| It was uncomfortable for a few minutes, but the | | | | scheduled me to see a radiation oncologist. Here I am |
| Serenity Prayer is one of my favorites, so I just | | | | in foreign land again. I went the very next day and |
| recited this over and over in my head for the few | | | | felt pretty good when I left her office. She assured |
| minutes I was on the table. There were two ladies in | | | | me that after 6 weeks of radiation, my chances of |
| the room, and I caught something that one of them | | | | the cancer coming back would be very slim. I was |
| said as she was doing the biopsy. She said, "oh good, | | | | ready to get started and get this all behind me. |
| this looks blue, I think this one will be ok." Whew...I | | | | The radiation really was not that bad, a little scary |
| did not have a clue what that meant, but I was | | | | until I got use to it. I went five days a week for six |
| feeling positive. | | | | weeks. I scheduled it in the late afternoon so I could |
| I went back for my results about a week after the | | | | leave work and drive there. After a couple of weeks, |
| biopsy. I left from work, and went by myself. My | | | | I started to tire easily. We had a couch in the office, |
| husband ask me if I wanted him to go, and I said no, | | | | and after lunch I would lay down and rest for an |
| I will be fine. | | | | hour or so. My breast did become very raw close to |
| As I waited for my turn to see the doctor, I was | | | | the end of the treatment but nothing I could not |
| getting nervous and questioning myself about coming | | | | stand. |
| to get the results alone. Serenity Prayer again! My | | | | I also had a regular oncologist. He put me on |
| name echoed when the nurse called me back, why | | | | Tamoxifen. I took it for two and one half years and |
| didn't I let him come with me is all I could think. | | | | told him that I wanted to stop because of some of |
| Serenity Prayer. | | | | the side effects I was having. He agreed and I was |
| As I sit in the office, my films in front of me again, | | | | very glad. I saw him every three months for a year, |
| the news the doctor had for me was truly a shock. | | | | then it went to six months and now, I only have to |
| Jean, I am sorry to say that the biopsy was positive | | | | see him once a year. |
| for cancer. The good thing is, it is the very earliest | | | | |