Ambushed by Breast Cancer !

by Leigh Ellis





The thought that I might get Breast Cancer was not something I thought would ever happen. None of the women in my family had ever had breast cancer and I felt I was fairly healthy. I am a little overweight and should exercise more. I take my vitamins and do my breast checks ( if not every month at least every couple months).

I was working in the yard around the end of April and trimming some holly bushes when a bee flew down my shirt and bra. I thought I had been stung. I have terrible reactions to bee stings so I went inside and took an antihistamine. The right breast started itching and swelled up a little. I put some benadryle gel on the spot. Over the next couple of days the swelling started going down but I had a little lump there. I sometime react to bee stings and bug bites this way so I did not think too much about it. But it did not go away. It did not hurt but it did itch occasionally.

Around the middle of May I had to find a doctor in the area in order to get a new prescription for thyroid medicine. (I may not have mentioned we were new to the area and did not have regular doctors yet). The doctor I saw asked if I would like a referral for a GYN. I said not yet, Thank you. When I got home it made me wonder about the lump in my breast and I told my husband about it. He suggested that maybe I should have it checked. I thought about it for a couple of days and we decided to go back to the doctors office to see what they thought.

Well, to say the least, May 23rd was the start of a new battle ahead that would turn our lives upside down. The doctor immediately arranged for a mammogram and for me to see a Surgeon for a Biopsy. The surgeon did a 3 Needle Biopsy on May 30th. We got the results of the biopsy on June 6th. I had Breast Cancer !

I am trying to bring you up to date with the effect this has had on my body, mind, spirit, and psyche. Also the effect this has had on my husband, family, friends, neighbors and everyone around me. Cancer is insidious and the very word is scary as Hell! It grows and affects every part of your life. We have fought it twice with my husband's Mother and Father and lost both times. This has thrown us for a loop to say the least!

I hope you will check back as I update this blog with reports on My treatments, My prognosis, My feelings, Information I have learned (that hopefully can help others as well as myself), and anything else that comes "Popping" into my mind.

Any comments, information, or thoughts are welcomed.

P.S. Because we are some of the millions of Americans who could not get Health Insurance, we are asking anyone who may desire to do so to donate towards our ever increasing medical costs. Go to http://www.fyitoday.com/cancer/donate.html