Living with Breast Cancer

Not possible. I’d been a good, obedient patient. I’d had yearly mammograms since I was 40, with a baseline at 35. (I’m now 52) Biopsy…no big deal. Well, the pathology report came back DCIS. Whew! Caught it in time: radiation will take care of whatever cells are left. Hold on, another mammogram to double check another area of calcifications. Holy cow, what is THAT? Another biopsy later confirms a Stage 1 invasive tumor, a sentinel node biopsy is scheduled; everything is removed and the nodes are negative. Whew, dodged that bullet: back on the radiation track. But wait: the radiation oncologist needs a baseline mammogram? Sheesh. “Betsy? The radiologist wants to show you something” Oh, man….the next week is a nightmare of figuring stuff out. We choose the mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. I am now 5 days post-surgery, and feel so incredibly lucky. I thought I’d miss my breast, but I don’t. I was angry that my body betrayed me, and that cancer had violated my breast, but now? I win.