Unit 3 - Lesson 1: Breast Cancer As I Lived It (Adaptation for ESOL) Original by Mary Scanlon Adapted by Lee Hewitt

I can still remember when I woke up in the middle of the night because I had pain in my left breast. I felt a lump in my breast as a big as a quarter. I was very scared! 

When I got up the next morning, I went to work. At lunchtime, I called my health care provider. I told him what happened. He told me that I shouldn't worry, but I should come and see him right away. I went to see him the next day.

The next day, my health care provider examined me. Then he told me to go to the mammography lab to get a mammogram. A few days later, he called me. He told me that I had a tumor. He strongly suggested that I call Dr. Susan Love. She is an advocate of lumpectomy. I called her, but she did not have any appointments available for six months. I called my health care provider back and I explained the problem. He suggested that I call Dr. Susan Love's co-worker. I called her co-worker, and I made an appointment. I had to wait for a few weeks for the appointment.

Those few weeks felt like months. It was so difficult to wait and wait. Finally the day of my appointment came. She examined me. A few days later, she did a biopsy. I had to wait several days. Then she called with the results of the biopsy. She asked me to come to her office and talk. We needed to talk about the treatment choices that I had. She wanted my husband to come too, so my husband and I went to see her.

I felt anxious and ignorant when all of this was happening to me. My doctor told me the biopsy didn't show good news. However, she told me it was very good that they found the cancer early. The prognosis should be good. I had more hope.

Then she said I had two choices. I needed to choose between a mastectomy or a lumpectomy with eight weeks of radiation therapy. She told me and my husband that both choices were good. 

I had to wait for ten long days for an available appointment for the operation. Then I had a lumpectomy. When I was at home after the operation, the doctor called me. He had more bad news. I had nine positive lymph nodes. Now I had to have four months of chemotherapy! I hung up the phone and cried. 

My doctor made an appointment for me with an oncologist - a special cancer doctor. She was very kind, but I was stressed out by all my worries and problems. I had a lot of blood tests. Then they gave me a schedule for my chemotherapy. I had to go to the hospital four times a month. I drove each time. After the chemotherapy treatment, I had some nausea. Also I was very, very tired all the time. The chemotherapy drugs were very strong, and they made my body weak. I didn't have any energy. Many days I was completely exhausted. Still I made myself get out of bed and go to work everyday. I felt good at the end of the day because I did something for other people at my job.

I didn't want to feel sorry for myself, but I did ask myself "Why me?" I didn't understand why I was sick. I had tried to have a good diet. I exercised, and I never smoked. Then I read a book called Love, Medicine and Miracles by Bernie S. Siegel. It was like reading my own story. In this book, Bernie Siegel explained that women who get this disease are sometimes the type who are always worrying about and caring for other people instead of taking care of themselves.*

Being optimistic and hopeful helped me get through this difficult time. The Good Lord gave me strength and courage. My family and friends supported me. I had one incredible friend who cooked a delicious meal for me every time I went to chemotherapy.

I feel much better now. I have most of my energy and strength back. I always believed that everything was going to be okay. I want to help other women deal with this disease. I learned a lot from my experiences. It taught me to open my eyes and be thankful for each day.

*Note to readers: This is one person's story and contains personal opinions. Her ideas may raise some interesting discussion about known and unknown risk factors for breast cancer.

Source: Adapted from Breast and Cervical Cancer Curriculum Sourcebook. Boston, MA: World Education, 1995, pg. 3-4.