I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at the age of 38. I had some family history but not what they considered significant.My Great Gram had died of BC at 51, Her daughter of another Cancer and my father developed Prostate Cancer at 58.

My lump first appeared after the birth of my first child.I was 35. He was ten months old and I had just completely weaned him.It was on my right breast and small. I had my Dr. feel it and he said it was a just fibrous.Then I became pregnant again right away. My next child did not take to the breast as well. I felt like he wasn't trying hard enough and I always had a full sensation on my right side. I stopped nursing him at 5 months in frustration. Right away, I felt that lump again, but bigger.I thought it must be a permanently clogged milk duct and did not mention. I was aware however and looked up what I could on the net. I found that I was far too young, that my lump was not hard and it was now right in the center of my breast which is not a typical cancerous lump.

Fast forward one year. January 2003. I was in the shower and gave my breast a squeeze and my heart stopped. It was now very large, like an egg. I am small breasted and this felt enormous. I went to my GP the next day. He assured me it was probably fine but I sensed his urgency and his face was very red. I saw a surgeon two days later and he felt me and said that I had fibrous breasts and he would see me in six weeks. I remember saying "But it is huge?" His answer was that I was too young for cancer and that I could keep the mammogram appt the next month that my GP had set but he wouldn't have ordered one because stats show it's a waste of time in women my age.

I was so happy. We celebrated our 5th anniversary with champagne and a toast to health. I went to my mammogram on Feb 17. they kept calling me back for more shots. The next day my surgeon called me in with my husband. The surgeon looked very sad. I knew. He said that I was highly suspicious and needed a biopsy, that even if it came back negative he would not believe it and I needed surgery. He assured us this was very early BC and not a death sentence. He felt it was DCIS. The biopsy came back with IDC and DCIS. He recommended a lumpectomy. I wanted a mastectomy, on both sides. He was very adament this was overkill.

I changed surgeons. She recommended a mastectomy and agreed with a blink to bilateral. When she came in after my surgery she looked very uncomfortable. She had told my husband that my nodes were clumped together. I got my path back the next week. 6CM IDC with DCIS present in three margins. The right breast had early stage cancer as well. I had bilateral breast cancer at 38. I had 5 pos nodes of 14. They were large. I honestly felt like I was dying.

I couldn't believe I had two babies and they would never remember me or have a mother to protect and love them. It broke my heart. We went to Florida for a family trip between surgery and chemo. I said nothing and had a good time but I was terrified. My treatment was 6 rounds of chemo (CEF), 20 radiation to my right breast in four areas, oopherectomy and now I take Arimidex. After radiation I got very sick with pneumonia. I didn't know then because chemo made me sick and I lost some weight. I had CT scans that showed lung damage but they couldn't be sure it wasn't cancer. I had three CT scans a few months apart and we decided it was from pneumonia.

Still I did not rebound and was upset that treatment had left me feeling so unwell four months later. Through a routine check with my attending On who is a respirologist he determined that I had acute severe radiation pneumonitis. I took oral prednisone for three months and am doing fine. My lung damage is permanent and I need to be watched for progression in the future.I did not know that radiation could be life threatening.I always worried about Chemo and toxins.

Life for me has just recently returned to normal. I am back at work and I must say that has really helped.I work from home and keep a close watch over my children. I produce Health Broadcast for patients and physicians who are managing disease.I am very lucky.My husband is extremely loving. I have had an awfully hard time with reconstruction. I have had many surgeries and one full breast completed and one where the nipple failed and I had to have cut out again and it is also very low and to the side. It bothers me more now that I am realizing I will always look like this, bothered me less when I was worried about life and death.

I am an advocate for a cure, not as much early detection or prevention. I have had two other family members diagnosed since myself both are very serious requiring chemo and mastectomy. Couldn't have been caught any earlier.