My sister's best friend has been battling breast cancer for about four years now. It spread to her brain (3 brain surgeries later, and they feel the brain is clear) and is now in her bones, for which she's undergoing incredibly rigorous treatment.
There hasn't been a day in the last four years that she hasn't had to fight like hell. No remissions, just more metastasis and more fighting. But she won't give up. She has a young son (he was 6 when he was diagnosed) and she's determined to not give up the fight.
So often during her treatment, when my sister would tell me that there had been yet another development, yet more chemo, or yet another surgery, I ask myself if I could be as strong and as single-minded as her friend has been. And I believe she was 33 or 34 when diagnosed.
On the other hand, I have a friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer after a mammogram found a lump in her breast. It had not spread to her lymph nodes, so she could have chosen mastectomy or lumpectomy. She had a mastectomy and has never looked back. That's been more than five years ago now, and she's doing fine. She was 50 when she was diagnosed.
Breast cancer is changing. More younger women are getting it, and more epic struggles are being waged. But also, detection is better and more women are surviving. The best we can do is stay in the fight, donate to the research organizations, and keep ourselves aware.
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Haralee,
Tough talk, and rightly so.
My sister's best friend has been battling breast cancer for about four years now. It spread to her brain (3 brain surgeries later, and they feel the brain is clear) and is now in her bones, for which she's undergoing incredibly rigorous treatment.
There hasn't been a day in the last four years that she hasn't had to fight like hell. No remissions, just more metastasis and more fighting. But she won't give up. She has a young son (he was 6 when he was diagnosed) and she's determined to not give up the fight.
So often during her treatment, when my sister would tell me that there had been yet another development, yet more chemo, or yet another surgery, I ask myself if I could be as strong and as single-minded as her friend has been. And I believe she was 33 or 34 when diagnosed.
On the other hand, I have a friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer after a mammogram found a lump in her breast. It had not spread to her lymph nodes, so she could have chosen mastectomy or lumpectomy. She had a mastectomy and has never looked back. That's been more than five years ago now, and she's doing fine. She was 50 when she was diagnosed.
Breast cancer is changing. More younger women are getting it, and more epic struggles are being waged. But also, detection is better and more women are surviving. The best we can do is stay in the fight, donate to the research organizations, and keep ourselves aware.
Thanks, Haralee.
May 7, 2009 - 8:20amThis Comment
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