Here is the beginning of my cancer story – I went to my general practitioner on April 22nd where she told me I had DCIS (breast cancer).  As she said if cancer could be good this was the good kind of cancer.  It was stage 0; non-invasive breast cancer contained in the milk duct of my right breast.  I was then sent to a surgeon the following Tuesday to talk options.  I also began telling my family I had cancer…along with close friends.  A friend from work met me at the doctor’s office so I wouldn’t be alone because I am stubborn and chose to go by myself.  I didn’t know I needed this support until we were sitting in her car.  I felt numb and overwhelmed by the news.  So many questions and worries beginning with how to tell family; especially my daughter.

Luckily, my appointment was on a Friday and my daughter would be at her dad’s for the weekend.  I would have time to adsorb the news and begin figuring out how to tell my family. That night I called and invited my parents in for dinner, so I could tell them.  Then, I planned to go out and tell my ex-father-in-law (aka my 2nd Dad) on Sunday before I picked up my daughter.  I would like to say there is nothing harder than telling family members that you have cancer. I spent the weekend laying on the couch, crying and making family members cry…this part of cancer sucks!!  Just writing this has made me cry again remembering the different reactions of family members that weekend and beyond.

This also began a long period of sleepless nights.  I was trying to not lose it at work or in front of my daughter while figuring out what my options were for treatment.  During these long nights I read many articles and looked at a lot of pictures of what women look like after mastectomies and lumpectomies.  I spoke with a few ladies about their experiences with the same diagnosis.  They opted for different treatment plans with different results.  This helped me to make my decision about what I should do, so I would live a long time after this diagnosis.