Dale tells her story here:
Thinking about my story seems like yesterday and so long ago at the same time. I was 39 that year and living in Toledo, Ohio with 3 of my 4 children still at home. My oldest was living on his own by then. My only daughter, the youngest was 8 that year.
In January 2006 a lump was discovered. I went to Dr. Rhee January 11th. She sent me that day for my first mammogram. They in turn sent me immediately for an ultrasound. I could see it. It was about the size of the oblong shaped space between your fingers when you hold your first finger on your thumb.
I was referred to Dr. Leininger who did a needle biopsy that came back inconclusive. We waited 2 weeks and decided neither of us were comfortable with the inconclusive report. I underwent an excisional biopsy on March 1, 2006. Results came back positive, i had breast cancer.
I met with 5 different doctors in the next few days, all specialist of different kinds. I listened, took notes and formed a "Team" of friends to help me. One of the doctors recommended I read "a woman's choice". It was an excellent book, especially when I didn't know anything about breast cancer. I learned the recurrence rates, what the scars can look like and generally everything while reading this book and doing research online.
Candy and Gloria helped me tremendously during the next year. Gloria would go to appointments and help me with all the difficult decisions. Candy made sure everything else was done while I couldn't. She made sure my meds were taken, children fed and homework done for my 3 and her own. I basically camped out at her house for 2-3 weeks at a time, only going home at night.
My mastectomies were performed May 2nd. I had 6 surgeries all together in 9 months.
I've never regretted the decisions for the bilateral mastectomies and reconstruction. When the pathology came back from the mastectomies, a second cancer had formed in the 2 months between the excisional biopsy and the mastectomies. I would have blown up with cancer and wouldn't be here today.
Thinking about my story seems like yesterday and so long ago at the same time. I was 39 that year and living in Toledo, Ohio with 3 of my 4 children still at home. My oldest was living on his own by then. My only daughter, the youngest was 8 that year.
In January 2006 a lump was discovered. I went to Dr. Rhee January 11th. She sent me that day for my first mammogram. They in turn sent me immediately for an ultrasound. I could see it. It was about the size of the oblong shaped space between your fingers when you hold your first finger on your thumb.
I was referred to Dr. Leininger who did a needle biopsy that came back inconclusive. We waited 2 weeks and decided neither of us were comfortable with the inconclusive report. I underwent an excisional biopsy on March 1, 2006. Results came back positive, i had breast cancer.
I met with 5 different doctors in the next few days, all specialist of different kinds. I listened, took notes and formed a "Team" of friends to help me. One of the doctors recommended I read "a woman's choice". It was an excellent book, especially when I didn't know anything about breast cancer. I learned the recurrence rates, what the scars can look like and generally everything while reading this book and doing research online.
Candy and Gloria helped me tremendously during the next year. Gloria would go to appointments and help me with all the difficult decisions. Candy made sure everything else was done while I couldn't. She made sure my meds were taken, children fed and homework done for my 3 and her own. I basically camped out at her house for 2-3 weeks at a time, only going home at night.
My mastectomies were performed May 2nd. I had 6 surgeries all together in 9 months.
I've never regretted the decisions for the bilateral mastectomies and reconstruction. When the pathology came back from the mastectomies, a second cancer had formed in the 2 months between the excisional biopsy and the mastectomies. I would have blown up with cancer and wouldn't be here today.
