I had had bouts of insomnia for over a month when I woke up in the wee hours of January 23, 2001. Most people drink warm milk, read a boring book, or watch television if they can't sleep. Of all the possible home remedies for a sleepless night, I did a breast self-exam (BSE)! Just over a week later, while in my office, I received a telephone call from a radiologist. He said, "Can you talk now or should I call you at home?" BOOM. He's going to tell me I have cancer. Breast cancer. I asked several questions from a ragged scrap of paper I'd been carrying around. I scribbled a few notes…2.7 cm…low grade…ER/PR positive…I wondered if I'd live to celebrate my fortieth birthday.
On January 31, 2001, I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma. I was 33 years old with no family history of breast or reproductive cancers and had maintained a healthy lifestyle. The mind of the average thirty-something doesn't entertain many thoughts about cancer.
The events during the first week following the diagnosis are still a blur. I have a vague recollection of calling my mother with the news that her only child had a life-threatening illness. I have a scant memory of telling various other family, friends, and colleagues the same news. What remembrances I do have are of countless sleepless nights staring at the bedroom ceiling. I conducted hours of research on the subject of breast cancer and played an active role in developing my treatment plan. Treatment consisted of a sentinel lymph node biopsy (one positive internal mammary node), 12 weeks of chemotherapy (six infusions Taxotere, three infusions Adriamycin), lumpectomy and axillary lymph node dissection (clean margins and clear nodes!), then six weeks of radiation followed by five years of hormone therapy.
Since diagnosis I have embraced advocacy like never before. I joined the Young Survival Coalition (YSC) and serve as both the Indiana and National Development Officer for the organization. I have participated in the National Breast Cancer Coalition's Annual Conference and Lobby Day, and I will soon graduate from Project LEAD. We cannot yet prevent breast cancer, but we can detect it early, treat it aggressively, and thrive in spite of it!
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