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Committed to a cure
Contributed by: Clara Selph on 9/23/2007

I've never really did regular self breast exams, but I would check them now and then when I thought about it. I was told by my ob/gyn doctor that since breast cancer didn't run in my family, I could go for a mammogram every 2 years instead of every year.

I had already had 2 mammograms done yearly before this was told to me. I found a small lump in my left breast in November 2006. I wasn't really concerned because I've had fibroid lumps in that breast before and they would go away after a couple weeks. As always when I found something different - I made an appointment to see my ob/gyn, who then had me set up a mammogram appointment.

I went for my mammogram, still not very concerned. After the mammogram, they told me I needed to have a sonogram done and that it was standard procedure. I was starting to get a little nervous, but not too bad. The lady doing my sonogram said she hadn't seen anything like this before and went to show the pictures to the doctor. She came back and told me I need to schedule a biopsy. Now, I was getting concerned. My doctors made me an appointment in the next few days for a biopsy, but told me again not to lose sleep over it because 9 of 10 biopsy's come back negative.

When I picked up my films to take with me to the biopsy - I read the paper that the doctor wrote and it said something like "worrysome lump and concerns of cancer". Now I was freaking. I called my sister and my husband crying - telling them I may have cancer. My older sister went with me to the biopsy appointment. My Doctor that did the procedure was excellent. She explained everything to me. She said it was either cancer or a cancer mimicker, she would know more once she got into the lump. After my biopsy, she told me that she didn't like the way it looked or the way it felt. She told me to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. I couldn't believe it. My world started spinning. I told my sister on our way to the car what the doctor had said. We sat in the car and I sobbed. I have a teenage daughter that would be graduating high school in May 2007 and a son that would be turning 7 years old in February 2007. All, I could think about was - How will I tell my kids. I had to wait for 4 days for my results to come back. I had to go through the weekend just waiting. I received a call from my ob/gyn on Monday confirming my fears - I had carcenoma (cancer).

He had me call a surgeon and set up an appointment for a consultation. It was all a whirwind. I took my husband with me, who was very supportive. Again, I left the doctors office in tears. I had to wait to tell my daughter, as she had finals on Tuesday, and I wanted her head on her work and not on me. The next day, I told my daughter. It was so hard for me. I cried a little at the beginning and then just told her I was diagnosed with breast cancer, but I caught it early and I was going to be fine. I never at any point made it sound like it was going to turn out any different than good. I had surgery January 10th. I went though what seemed like a ton of testing. Waiting and waiting for results. The waiting was always the worst. Once, all the testing was done, I found out I didn't have to do chemotherapy,(Yea!!) but I did have to do 6 weeks of radiation(which I started in March).

I also had to be put into menopause to be able to take a pill (that I need to take for 5 years) tolower the odds of the cancer coming back. I just had surgery to have my overies removed two weeks ago - so I could stop taking the shot that was keeping me in menopause. I have to go to see my oncologist every three months for 5 years to have blood work done and let him check me, but my outlook is good. I have kept a positive outlook through the whole thing (although you do still wonder it the cancer will return) and I have a great support system in my family, friends and employers.

I feel great, and plan on being here to see my kids grow-up. I can't express enough the importance of regular self breast exams. I am doing the Susan Koman race for a cure for my first time this year and plan on being a regular participant. I AM comitted to a cure.

Clara Selph Thornton, CO


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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Clara Selph

Thornton , CO

Clara Selph has posted 2 stories and 0 comments since joining on 9/23/2007. Clara Selph 's average story rating is 5.
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