August 10th…. The Day That Changed Everything

They say you always remember the date and place you were when something memorable happens….good or bad. One date I will always remember is August 10, 2010, when I got “the call”.

I had a biopsy done days before, on a lump that was under my armpit, and was waiting for the results. I was not anxious at all because both my breast surgeon and I did not think it was anything to be concerned with.

It was a warm summer day and Michaela, Max and I were hanging at home with Wally, of course. Late morning the telephone rang. A call that would change my life, and those who are part of it, forever.

I picked up the phone in my bedroom. My [awesome] breast surgeon, Dr. X, was on the line. She told me she had the pathologist on the other line and she found a malignancy. I asked if I had cancer. Dr. X said, ” Yes, you have breast cancer.” Damn!

Michaela was standing next to me. She said I was in shock. Well, who wouldn’t be? I continued to talk with Dr. X on what the next steps would be.

After I hung up, I immediately called Mark at work. He couldn’t believe the news. No one did.

I was pretty calm after hearing the news. Maybe as Michaela thought, I was in shock.

Later that day, I let family and friends know. I had a good cry with some of them, and then it was time to move forward.

I truly believe I was meant to get breast cancer. While I know that may sound crazy to some, I believe I was given this awful disease in order to help others and their caregivers. Now, this is my purpose in life.

After a year of treatments and such, I became a mentor with The Reach To Recovery program through the American Cancer Society.

I really enjoy mentoring such fabulous, strong women, who at the time of mentoring are recently diagnosed with breast cancer. As much as I help them, they help me.

I started this blog as a way to inform, educate and help others.

When I was diagnosed with stage IIIC breast cancer, I was mad, but I never questioned it……until September 24, 2013.


Original Published Link August 10th…. The Day That Changed Everything

#BreastSurgeon, #HelpMe, #Michaela, #Pathologist, #StageIIICBreastCancer #Cancer

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