Breast Cancer - Diagnosed at 32, My Story Part 3 - Recovery
By Sherri Haggard
Recommended Reading
Cancer-Free -- Third Edition.
Gentle, Non-toxic HealingOf Cancer Is Not Only Possible
In my previous articles, I discussed how I discovered the cancer, my initial treatments, and the chemo. Now, I will discuss how it all came to an end. It was a yearlong battle, and now I can look back and say what really happened.
Follow Up Visits Galore
You would think that after all the surgeries and chemo, I would be done. However, this was not the case. My reconstruction doctor alone wanted to see me every few days then every few weeks. I had to do exercises to make sure the reconstruction went right. It was time consuming and very demanding.
After Chemo Drugs
There are two main drugs given to women after breast cancer, Tamoxifen and Arimidex. I started off on Arimidex because years earlier I had a hysterectomy. However, I needed to get a bone scan because Arimidex could cause bone loss leading to osteoporosis. Turns out, I have severe osteoporosis and I was only 33! (I had a birthday since my original breast cancer diagnosis at 32.)
The oncologist switched me to Tamoxifen but couldn't take that either. It turns out it made my heart race. This meant no after chemo drugs for me.
I Quit
Against all the medical advice, I got tired of seeing doctors. I could not handle seeing another doctor one more time. So a little over a year since my original diagnosis, I quit seeing doctors. That was about 8 months ago.
Some question how I will know if the cancer comes back. Others ask me if I am concerned. Frankly, at this point, I do not care. If my cancer were to come back, it would automatically be stage 4. It would mean that it had metastasized and spread somewhere else.
I am now 34 years old and I know that I cannot do that again. If I get cancer again, so be it. I am not going to spend my life wondering if it will come back. I am not going to waste time going to doctors. It is my choice. It is not a popular choice and it is not a recommended choice. It is, however, my choice.
Final Thoughts
To anyone going through breast cancer, you will get through the treatment and your life will return.
To all those that know someone going through treatment, be patient. Remember, that after it was all over I felt bad about what I had said and done. My aunt, who was diagnosed two days before me, felt the same way. She got mad at my mom and did not speak to her through the whole treatment. After it was all over and she was back to normal, she called my mom.
When we go through this, it affects our heart, our mind, and our emotions. Please ride out the storm and wait for us on the other side.
Sherri has been writing articles for nearly 2 years. She is always up to something new. Come visit her latest site at http://womensworkoutclothes.org/ where she shares her knowledge of Womens Workout Clothes.
Recommended Reading
Cancer-Free -- Third Edition.
Gentle, Non-toxic HealingOf Cancer Is Not Only Possible
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