OCTOBER IS CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

One day, I thought it was time to visit my family doctor for a physical exam, as it had been about two years since my last check-up. I asked her if I should go for a mammogram test. I had never had one done before and so she arranged for one. After two weeks, I received a phone call from the clinic to tell me I had to see the doctor right away about my test results. I got scared and nervous and I immediately called out to my Creator and angels. My doctor told me I had a tumor in my breast and that it had to be removed. After removing the tumor, the doctor told me they forgot to take a biopsy around the lymph nodes and therefore I had to have a second surgery. After more tests, seeing the surgeon again and more blood tests, I was diagnosed with aggressive cancer. I felt numb to hear this shocking news and was badly shaken.

I went home and I prayed again to my Creator to help me get through this, and to stay positive and not get depressed.

Well, I can say that my journey for the next two years of going back and forth to Ottawa for chemotherapy, had slowly turned into a positive outcome, as I knew I had to go through this in order for me to get better. It was not an easy task to have blood work, heart scan, brain scan, chest x-ray, radiation and a portal catheter inserted into my chest wall for medication. My side effects from chemo weren’t that easy to deal with either, as I lost my hair, was constipated, and had a lack of appetite. But I stayed strong and positive for two years. I might add that having been a nurse and working in an active hospital, I had taken care of many cancer patients, some with good results and others unfortunately not. Back then, the word cancer was not spoken often, as it was likened to a death sentence.

We all have this cancer gene in our blood cells. My message to everyone is, to get a blood test.

Should it come back positive, you can be helped by your doctor. Also, there are many support groups and programs out there to help, but most important is for family members to get involved. Even throughout all these highs and lows, no one should go through this alone.

Thank you for reading this and I hope that my message will spread to others.

I AM A BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR FOR SEVEN YEARS.

Signed…grateful to be here today living and breathing.

p.s.

If anyone else wants to share their story, send it to [email protected].