In honor of breast cancer awareness month I would like to recap my story over the past couple of years for those who have been recently diagnosed with cancer, currently undergoing treatment or are in the final stages of recovery. This is my story:
In October (ironically enough being breast cancer awareness month), I found a lump in my right breast. How did I find it? Well I was sore from working out and I was pushing on my pec muscle and lo and behold there was a large lump in the top part of my breast, sitting right on my pec muscle. Huh, that’s odd but I didn’t really think anything of it because I have lumpy breasts and dense breast tissue anyways. I scheduled my annual pap exam and figured they always do a breast exam as well so I will just wait for that. I then had my husband feel the lump and his reaction said it all, “holy shit, you need to go get that checked out! You should go to the ER.” I laughed, thinking this was a major overreaction. In hindsight, it was not. I then decided to schedule a breast exam as soon as they could get me in. Again, my OBGYN thought it was nothing, “I think it’s an adenoma or a fatty cyst, I have had a couple removed myself, but we will get an ultrasound just in case.”
Fast forward a few weeks, ultrasound, biopsy and cancer diagnosis later… I began the whirlwind of being a cancer patient and undergoing treatment. Looking back on the timeline, it was quite impressive:
November 4th 2022: Diagnosed with high grade, invasive ductal carcinoma
Egg retrieval: December 8th
Chemotherapy start: December 15th
Post chemotherapy MRI: March 3rd
Post Chemotherapy MRI results: March 7th
(Got to skip my 2nd round of chemotherapy)
Double mastectomy: April 4th
CANCER FREE PHONE CALL: April 7th
2nd reconstructive surgery: August 28th
1 year after being diagnosed with cancer: November 4th 2023
The most wild ride. The most uncontrolled I have ever felt over my own life. The scariest, yet most rewarding year that will change my life forever.
Mandafit 