Talkin with Teenie: Sara's Story

October 21, 2009

Sara's Story

Guest post by Sara @ Cancer Ain't Gonna Beat Me

I am a part time mobile dog groomer and one day in January 2009 I was chatting to a customer about a terminally ill neighbour when I put my hand to my chest and felt a lump. My blood ran cold and for a few seconds I felt the room go distant. I managed to pull myself together and decided that there was no point in worrying about it because the doctors surgery was closed until the morning. The next day, I booked an emergency appointment and was referred to the hospital for further investigation.

Two weeks later I was in the hospital for a mammogram and ultrasound scan. Everything seemed fine until I walked into the consultants tiny room to be confronted by the registrar, the consultant, a nurse and the MacMillan Cancer Nurse. The first words he spoke were “You can see that we are taking this seriously”. I was told that whether it was cancer or not it would have to be removed because he didn’t like the look of it. The registrar then proceeded to take a two sample biopsies. When the second biopsy was unsuccessful, the consultant brushed her away saying “we NEED to get a good sample” and I knew then I was in trouble.

Five long days passed before my results and it was confirmed that at the age of 42 I had stage 3 Breast Cancer which was hormone sensitive and HER2 positive. I felt my whole world had collapsed. My first thoughts were for my children, I have fought so hard for so many years to get my little boy (then aged 7) the assistance he needed as he is autistic who would be there for him if anything happened to me? I will always remember my surgeons words “you are young, we are going to throw everything at you, and this year is pretty much ruined but the next 40 are going to be great”

I had my lumpectomy on 13^th February 2009. I should have been at a party but instead I was laying in hospital recovering from my op. Luckily, my lumpectomy was successful and the tumour was removed with a generous clear margin and the cancer had not spread to my lymph nodes. The tumour was 33mm in size, so quite large! I know have a 3 inch scar across my right breast. I started chemotherapy on 20^th March the day before my husbands birthday. I had 4 lots of Epi-Ruebeson and 4 lots of CMF which spanned over 6 months. In all, I received 12 doses of chemo through a canula and towards the end my veins were collapsing. My last doses of chemo took place on 3^rd September 2009, our 15^th wedding anniversary and finally on 10^th September 2009, the 19^th anniversary of my older brothers death. It was a bitter sweet time for me.

I started my radiotherapy immediately after chemo had finished and I currently have 6 more sessions left. After that I will be on Tamoxifen for 5 years and herceptin for a year. I would say that the hardest part of my treatment was losing my hair. This was an outward sign that I had cancer, I no longer had a choice over who knew and who didnt

I have been incredibly lucky with my fight with Breast Cancer; I found the tumour by accident, it had not spread to the nodes, because of my 30FF boobs I was able to have a successful lumpectomy and I have had the most wonderfully supportive husband without whom I just wouldn’t have coped so well.

This year I have had to give up so much; my business because I have been too ill to deal with dogs, my running which I loved and was ready for my first 10K race and swimming. However I am excited about returning to these activities and in the meantime I have acquired new skills! At last I am able to use the computer and have enjoyed blogging www.canceraintgonnabeatme.blogspot.com and face book. I have made wonderful new friends and rediscovered old ones. I have taken up photography and take part in the Friday My Town Shoot Out so cancer isn’t all bad.

I still cant quite believe that I have had cancer. Last year I ran the Race for Life to raise money for cancer research, little did I know that I would be diagnosed with cancer a few months later. Cancer has taught me how precious life is and how much I value my friends and family. It has made me realise that you have to make the most of each day and look for the good in bad. Cancer has changed my life but Cancer Ain’t Gonna Beat Me – I am a survivor!

On a final note: If you have boobs – check em!!!! A simple, regular check just may save your life or make the difference between a lumpectomy or a mastectomy. Cancer knows no barriers! It does not discriminate.

Please don't forget to donate by clicking here for Keep a Breast or here for Susan G Komen.

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