| MY BREAST CANCER My unilateral breast cancer was diagnosed through microcalcifications on a mammogram. I had a sentinal node biopsy and lumpectomy. Thankfully, my nodes were clear and my treatment was limited to radiation for 7 weeks, followed by 5 years of Tamoxifen. The cancer was Pre-Stage I with a few fiesty Hert-2 cells thrown in. I am in year 5 of the Tamoxifen and have had one more surgery on the healthy breast to remove suspicious cells. I found the most comprehensive, responsible and user-friendly website to be www.breastcancer.org. There are so many websites and so much information out there. This one will walk you through your diagnosis as clearly as possible -- introducing you to new terms and words that are now, so unexpectedly, part of your life through the celebrity dictionary. If you are in the Philadelphia area, I recommend seeing Dr. Beth DuPree and associates at the newly formed Comprehensive Breast Care at DSI-Bucks County. Dr. DuPree was my surgeon and has created a facility just for breast care. Imagine having a mammogram or MRI and having it read right then and there. She, and her team, get it. Also in Philadelphia is the Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. It is important to support your entire body thoughout your treatment. Doctors and therapists there will help you take the best care possible. I wrote two essays about my cancer. The first one is how I used prayer on the radiation table. The second is about the ridiculous things people say to you when they hear you have cancer! |
MY BREAST CANCER
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