
I was 29 years old when I felt something in my breast. Immediately I was nervous and went to go get it checked out. Exactly two years ago, Womens Month, I saw a Doctor who would end up misdiagnosising me. I was told it was a cyst after a brief ultrasound and told to come back on another day to get it drained.
Well I didn't. I didn't know much about cyst but I thought they were harmless. Plus, I was living in a new city overseas and frankly didn't like that hospital nor that city. Flash forward to the Fall of 2019, in a new city still overseas, my appendix starts to give me problems (a blessing in disguise). After surgery, I wake up to a team of student doctors telling me they found a lump in my breast and they want it checked out. I foolishly brushed them off still thinking it was a cyst. About two months later and 10 months after I felt that initial "something" I was diagnosed with Stage II triple positive invasive ductal carcinoma in January of 2020. The lump had gotten pretty big by that point clearly visible under my skin. It didn't help that I was on birth control and had been for over 18 years at that point unknowingly "feeding" my estrogen positive cancer.
I had chemotherapy first to shrink the tumor, surgery second to remove one breast, radiation next to round out treatment. I'm still actively on infusions every three weeks, some women in my support group call it "chemo light," and on daily medication for the next 10 years. My reconstruction surgery date hasn't been booked and I'm not sure when it will be. This journey has been a Rollercoaster that no one can prepare you for. And a ride that doesn't let you off even when you don't want to be on it anymore.
This photo shoot was done by a photographer friend 6 days after surgery. ~ Chrystle
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Congratulations winner #38.
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