Never Lose Hope
My cancer journey started in September of 1996. I was 26 — almost 27 and still a newlywed of just 2 years of married life. Me and my husband both born again believes in Jesus Christ as our savior. I was preparing to go back to Mt Hood community college, and was not prepared for the next month of events.
The day started out fun with my sister taking me to pick up books for my classes. We were involved in a car accident right by the college and my seat belt broke and was taken by ambulance to hospital, they checked us out no serious injuries thank God.
I followed up with my primary dr. and he ordered a mammogram just because such swelling and bruising. I then was told they found something they wanted to biopsy on the left side. Ok, was not really worried as the surgeon I saw told me I was too young to have breast cancer.
By this time is was already October 27, 1996 my 27th birthday, it was around 7:30pm and we were leaving for the beach for a week. The phone began ringing as we were shutting the door, something told me I needed to answer, I did it was my dr and he said Mamie you have breast cancer. I immediately said I’m too young the surgeon said so, it’s a mistake.
The whirlwind started tests, appointments, this Dr Ordered this and then the plan that’s going to save your live , but you’re going to get sick , not be able to keep things down, feel weak, lose your hair, and multiple other things that are side effects.
I did the plan they had for me, not a lot of options at this point. They started with the surgeon doing lumpectomy followed by 12 rounds chemo the strong stuff 2 types at once, very sick during this, my husband holding my head every time for days as I was sick and we would pray for strength to get through .I could hear my husband talking to God when he thought I was asleep begging for him not to take me now, he needed me. Now the last step we are going to do 12 weeks 5 days a week of radiation it’s going to make weak, and burn your side, I still was weak from all the chemo. God was amazing he got me through.
Fast-forward July 1999, having some pain in the right breast this time, dr ordered a mammogram, followed by a spot on the left side, yes cancer again in the same spot 23 years later. Verified by a needle biopsy. Surgery scheduled for August 1 2019, my only option at this time was a mastectomy of my entire left breast. I tried tamoxifen for several months but had terrible side effects. March 2020 they found another tumor again the left side in the chest wall tissue, I had another surgery and had it removed and my entire right breast. Now I need chemo but this time I am a widow of 2 years, I really had to pray to God as I was still not strong in the way I need spiritually and emotionally. I prayed all the time and got the Strength I needed to do this. I lost my hair again but I was able to embrace it this time as I am a warrior God prepared me for all the side effect and such, then radiation 8.5 weeks as my skin was really compromised from 23 years ago the dose they gave me so I did the hyperbaric chamber to heal the incisions on the chest
Wow! how research and advanced technology in this time frame of 23 years, now they have genes that tell you if you are going to have greater chance of breast cancer, they can get the DNA of the tumor and tell them things like hormonal , HER 2 and other things that can help with the treatment plan. They can tell if chemo would benefit you and possibility of reoccurrence.
I heard of PINKSISTAS from a friend and just went on my first retreat, what a healing and so amazing to share and hear other warrior women survivor's journeys. NEVER LOSE HOPE