When I first found out my twin sister Stacy had breast cancer, I felt like that was the worse news I have ever found out. I prayed for her and I felt like why her. I was sad and I just didn’t really understand why something like this could happen to such a wonderful woman. She had to do chemo first because the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and they wanted to shrink the cancer before they do the mastectomy and then radiation. I took a few weeks off at work and went to go be with her while she went through chemo. I wanted to help as much as I could. When I returned home I still wanted to make sure I was a good support system for her and her family.
Her being my twin sister her doctors told her it would be good if I got checked. I was 38 at the time and I had never had a mammogram before, but Stacy had being getting them since she was like 35. She had been getting them early because our aunts on our father’s side died of cancer. One died from Ovarian cancer at around 59, one of breast cancer in her 30s and another of uterine cancer in her 40s. My father is a prostate cancer survivor. We both had the genetic test done and we both carry the BRCA 2 gene. Even though I had the BRCA 2 gene, I still felt confident that I would not get breast cancer. I felt even better after my first mammogram came back good. But since I was a carrier of the gene I needed to be checked every 6 months, but after 6 months I would have a MRI. Before I was due to have a MRI my breast looked and felt different, so I told my gynecologist and she referred me to a breast specialist. I was checked by the specialist and was told everything was fine. I was told to follow-up with the specialist after my MRI. My husband always told me something wasn’t right because sometimes my nipples did have a discharge. After I did my MRI, I received a call to come in to do an ultrasound and mammogram. This was right after Thanksgiving. So I went in and did the mammogram and ultrasound and was told I had to do a biopsy. Biopsy later confirmed it was breast cancer. What’s even crazier is my mother-in-law is also a breast cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma and Stacy had invasive ductal carcinoma. I was diagnosed only 9 months after Stacy and she’s actually 9 minutes older than me.
We all have a story and the news you’ve just received may seem like the worse news you could ever receive. At the beginning of your journey it seems so… I don’t know what to say. Thinking back to the beginning of my journey makes me realize how blessed I am to be almost done with all my treatment. Even when you’re done with your treatment, your journey continues on.
That’s Stacy (w/scarf) & that’s her on the left on the very bottom picture. We’re Survivors & we’re in this fight together!
Breast Cancer Survivor 