Breast Cancer Survivor Stories
A Different Take on Breast Cancer
by Liza Vann
People say I have a different take on this disease – that I didn’t do it like everyone else. You see, it didn’t seem to bother me that I had cancer. Cancer doesn’t have to be harder than anything else that will ever happen to you. Having cancer doesn’t have to be harder than not having cancer. It’s just different. It just is what it is.
Redefining ‘Survivor’
by Nicole Malato
There are different definitions of “survivor.” Until recently, I had always thought it was someone who “beat cancer” and went on to remission for many years. Now I am learning that using that definition minimizes the experiences of other survivors and prevents those who have earned the title from rightfully using it. I am embracing the fact that I am indeed a survivor already. I have overcome the many obstacles to earn this honorable distinction.
Fighting for Two
by Roxanne Martinez
Imagine learning you are pregnant, then being diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer days later. That was the predicament I found myself in last November. Days after receiving the devastating diagnosis and with a whirlwind of emotions, I scheduled my first obstetrician appointment and my initial meetings with my surgeon and oncologist – all on the same day.
The Bet
by Jana Johnston Moritzkat
Amy agonized over losing her blonde cotton candy hair to the shower drain. Her poker straight locks were baby fine, and when she teased and coated them with hairspray they puffed up and swirled like spun sugar. The chemotherapy nurse had said her hair would begin falling out two weeks after her first treatment. That was three days ago.
On Surviving Breast Cancer – A Nurse’s Perspective
by Kathyrn T. Negri, RN
Some years ago while working on the medical unit, I overheard a doctor tell a woman she had breast cancer. The woman was in disbelief. She let out an agonizing cry and started shaking uncontrollably. My heart ached for her. I couldn’t help but wonder how I would react to such news. It wasn’t until years later that I found myself in the same predicament.
What I Learned the First Five Years
by Vivian Roe
On March 3, 2011, I hit a milestone that not long ago I never expected I would reach: Cancer Survivor – 5 years. Still, I can’t say that I feel like I’m out of the woods quite yet, and the physical scars from treatment remind me of that fact.
Remember To Rotate & Balance
by Fran Di Giacomo
Each individual must figure out the best way to apply the lessons in life, but I want to remind you about B-A-L-A-N-C-E. Some people pay more attention to the maintenance on their car than maintaining their life. So take a tip from your owner’s manual – just as you rotate and balance your tires to keep them running smoothly, check for rotation and balance in your life.
My Doctor Fired Me!
by Michele Forsten
“You’re no longer my patient,” Dr. L, my trusted gynecologist of 15 years, told me. “Where do you want me to have your records sent?” What had I done to deserve this? Argue relentlessly about a bill? Get caught stealing K-Y jelly? None of the above. What I did was try to take care of myself the best way I knew how.
