What a year!

Last Mother's Day I was waiting to hear from my surgeon about the results of my breast biopsies. She had already told me that she was certain that it was cancer but depending on whether an area of calcification was DCIS or not I would be having either a lumpectomy or mastectomy. Somehow I managed to get through a morning tea with my parents, sister and brother and their families. Thank goodness for my 4 and 1 year old nieces! They helped me to keep smiling. Well the results were high grade DCIS as well as a Grade 2 tumor, so 4 days later I had a mastectomy and auxillary dissection after the sentinel node was obvious for cancer. Five positive nodes out of the eight taken, so radiation would be needed after chemo. I was going to get the full treatment, yay! 3 weeks later I was having my first dose of FEC. 2 weeks later I lost my hair. I was humbled by the support of family and friends. One by one I got through 6 rounds of chemo and then the five weeks of radio. Tamoxifen is going well for me which is very good because it changes my chance of recurrence from 50% down to only 20%. Not bad for a smallish daily tablet! I have worked at regaining my fitness and have now sorted the lymphedema issue. I look well, feel well and am adjusting to this different life. This Mother's Day I will be taking part in the Mother's Day Classic with my family. Last year I was terrified of what lay ahead. This year I know I am strong and well again. Our health is so very precious and I have regained mine with the help of family, friends, my doctors and other health professionals. Throughout this year I have also never felt alone thanks to the women I have 'met' on this network. So Happy Mother's Day to all the mums out there and for those enduring treatment at this time, know that you too will get through what you need to. My wish is that they find a cure for this awful disease that unfortunately will effect so many again this year. Take care. Deanne xxx