FINALLY started

I have finally decided to start writing my blog. I have been wanting to do this for awhile, but I never had the courage to do it. I'm not sure what I write will be interesting or helpful, but I am going to toss it out there and see what happens. I am a 2 year survivor of Breast Cancer, a wife of my fantastic husband, mother to my beautiful 5 year old daughter, a daughter, sister, friend, co-worker, and the list goes on and on as it does for everyone.

The past 3 years (1 year of treatment and 2 years of remission) have been a challenge for me. A very dear friend of mine is always worried about me, she feels that I never dealt with the fact that I had cancer because I was always trying to be strong for everyone else. It's very true. I was so worried about everyone else that I forgot to deal with my own feelings. I am hoping this blog will help. I won't only write about cancer, that would be very depressing if I did. I will post on the funny things that happen at my house and the things that are happening in my life (not that either is overly exciting, but it's better than cancer talk all the time).

Let me give you a little background that led me to December 31, 2008. At the end of August, I found a lump in my right breast. I called my OB/GYN (who I had just been to see earlier that month) and they asked me to wait on it and see if it went away throughout my cycle. It did not. I finally had waited long enough and demanded the next step. They referred me to a surgeon. He performed a needle biopsy and then eventually a full biopsy on November 12, 2008. I was told after that biopsy that I had Stage 2, ductal carcinoma. My tumor was a little over 2cm. Hard to believe something so small could cause so many problems. After talking with my husband, doctors and family, I decided that a double mastectomy was the best route for me. I have BRCA1 gene (the breast cancer gene) and a very strong family history. This made the most sense considering all that was stacked against me. On December 31, 2008 I underwent a 6 hour surgery of a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction. I recovered fairly well and began six treatments of chemotherapy on February 21, 2009. My final treatment was May 21,2009. The following week I walked the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K in Madison,WI with an amazing group of family and friends. It was a day of many tears and cheers. Victory was finally mine!!!