Part of my Breast Cancer Journey is already shared above. As October 19th approaches, I am still Cancer free. I have a Mammogram scheduled for October 11th and I must admit that they are always scary for me. Terrified that they will find Cancer again. My doctor’s have been wonderful and watch me very closely. I see either my Oncologist or Surgeon every three months. This year they even had me go for Mammograms every 6 months. I feel blessed that my Breast Cancer was caught early, Stage 2. I had a lumpectomy and did not have to have any lymph nodes removed. My Oncologist gave me the choice, after my surgery, on how I wanted to proceed. I told her that I wanted to do whatever was necessary for my long term survival. I had four rounds of Chemo, which I had an adverse reaction to that landed me in the hospital for four days after the first treatment. I continued to get ill after every Chemo treatment. I’d still do it again. Then came 21 days of radiation. GET YOUR MAMMOGRAMS. That’s how my Breast Cancer was caught!
Unfortunately, Breast Cancer wasn’t my first Cancer diagnosis. Just about two years prior I went to have my yearly check up with my Dermatologist. He asked me if I wanted him to do a full body checkup and, thankfully, I said YES. He discovered two areas he was concerned about. A spot on my abdomen and on the top of my head. As it turns out the spot on my abdomen was a Melanoma, the most dangerous kind of skin cancer and the spot on the top of my head was Basel Cell Sarcoma. Thank God I said “YES”. Both Cancers were in the early stages and were removed and I didn’t have to have treatment. I make sure that I keep my checkup appointments!! My skin Cancers were caused by too much sun exposure when I was young. I grew up in Southern California and practically lived at the beach. Little did I know that the tans I was getting were actually setting me up for skin Cancer later in life. WEAR SUN BLOCK!!! I am not supposed to go outside without it and I don’t!!!