I was diagnosed in Nov. 2010 with Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) after seeing my surgeon. I knew I had some form of breast cancer because an area on my breast was pink and ached. I always heard with breast cancer there is no pain.
This type of breast cancer does not follow any rule. I went for my mammogram and of course an ultrasound and then I saw the mass. I asked the tech but received no answers until both of them came into the room. Biopsies were done and now the dreaded wait. Being newly married I was scared. Would he still love me? Why me I asked God? Then it dawned on me, why not me? I am a strong willed person and of all the females in my family I think I am the strongest. So yes why not me!
I got the call Friday the following week. No one prepares you for those words..you have cancer. I hung the phone up and sat there crying as I began the calls because everyone was waiting to hear. I called my husband first and he knew it, he asked me if I wanted him to come home from work but I refused, I said I would be ok. My sister next and as my guardian angel she took everything over. Then my mom, she cried not knowing what to say. I went out on the deck overlooking are backyard of four acres and prayed God would give me the strength to battle this and thanked him for being with me.
We saw the surgeon and I think she said 50 times we have to be aggressive that this is an aggressive cancer. This is the rarest and most aggressive type of breast cancer. Being a Registered Nurse myself I had never heard of this. Having an MRI, PET scan, more biopsies, port put in and treatment plan laid out I began chemo December 2010. My life was upside down.
One thing remained strong was my belief in God and prayer. Every day I thanked God for letting me wake up and take another breath. Chemo was grueling; I got sick with bronchitis which turned into chronic sinusitis. I had never been sick like! this an d just wanted back to me. I was finally healthy enough for surgery having been canceled once because I was still so sick.
I had my surgery May 16th 2011…modified radical mastectomy with all nodes removed. My surgeon said the pathologist called her and asked what was he looking for??
My pathology report was completely FREE of cancer..NO evidence of neoplasm in skin, breast tissue, lymph nodes. I thanked my best friend, God! Through all these events I knew God was with me and I was surrounded by his angels.
My surgeon, oncologist and radiologist said my report was phenomenal and unremarkable. I however, wish to give god the credit as many prayers were being said for me. I just finished with radiation and thought into the first 3 weeks oh this is a piece of cake. It was not. I was severely burned and could hardly move because of the pain.
However, I kept thanking God I was alive and smiled. I would get through this too. So here I am today on a chilly October morning thanking God again and I am almost all healed up which according to the radiation doctors was very quick. I of course know why..my best friend again. Anyways, I want to be a volunteer and get the word out about this because none of my co-workers, friends, or family ever heard of IBC. Again I want to say that this can be beat as I am a walking example. I am a breast cancer survivor!!