Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation

I am a 51-year-old high school teacher and coach. I was diagnosed with stage I breast cancer a year ago. I had to have chemotherapy, radiation, and Herceptin. I am currently taking tamoxifen. The diagnosis came as a blow to me and my family and friends as I was the healthy one that never got sick, was in great shape, and had everything going for me.

I found my lump through breast self-exam, which was not something that I did every month. My misconception was that as long as I didn't feel bad nothing could be wrong. Two months prior to finding the lump I had taken out a Cancer Policy. I was concerned about skin cancer because I'm in the sun so much as a softball coach. Also, my assistant coach had already been diagnosed with it. Never did I think I would need it for breast cancer. God works in mysterious ways.

I had not been to the gynecologist for eight years. Time just got away from me, and I kept putting it off. I did not realize how much time had passed. At age 50, and concerned about the lump, I made the dreaded appointment. My gynecologist did not feel the lump, and I did not tell him my concerns. Denial is my biggest defense mechanism. Well, needless to say, the mammogram did not come back negative, and I was scheduled for an ultrasound and biopsy.

Reading stories on the Internet and talking to people I knew who had breast cancer, I was horrified. All my life I have been known for my high tolerance to pain, but when this was the first time that I ever had to go to the hospital for surgery, and I was devastated. Through a lot of prayer, I caught it early: Stage I with no positive lymph nodes or identifiable cancer cells in the surrounding tissue.

I went to a breast specialist out of my network, and it was worth it. And I went to a Women's Hospital that treated you like you were the Only One there—which is so important for your state of mind. Because of the characteristics of my tumor, I had to undergo chemotherapy, radiation, Herceptin and tamoxifen—all of which felt overwhelming to someone who had never had to take any medicine on a regular basis. Ultimately, my treatment was not as bad as I had anticipated.

My oncologist believes that my health habits and positive outlook are what helped me get through my treatment with very little side effects. Surgery left me with a very small scar and no pain. With the chemotherapy, I lost my hair and my taste buds and felt some fatigue. Radiation only left me with a tanned breast. Herceptin had no side effects. The tamoxifen put me into complete menopause, which for me was great—no more periods. I have hot flashes but they are manageable.

My last Herceptin treatment was Nov. 23rd, and my port came out Dec. 22nd. I have had such a great support system in my family and friends. I was very fortunate to have health insurance and a Cancer Policy so I didn't have to worry about the financial side of my treatments. The only disappointment was my Principal, who was very unsympathetic to what I was going through. I had enough leave saved (from being so healthy), so I was able to take off the rest of the year. But I still coached my softball team. Then, thanks to the compassion of our Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent of the schools, I was transferred to another school.

My oncologist said that stress is a major factor for recurrence, and the Lord knows I do not want to experience this again. My story may not sound as dramatic as most stories, but I am a cancer survivor and I believe that my story is not as dramatic as some others because of how I took care of myself before, during and after my cancer journey. Yes, you can get cancer—even when you've done all the things you believed were right to prevent it, or any other disease. I have never smoked, I don't drink, I eat healthy, exercise, have a positive outlook, and have no history of breast cancer in my family—and I got cancer. You have to be in control. Don't let cancer control you.