Breast cancer is pretty common among women at this time. Though it mostly appears among older women, in rare cases, it does affect who are under the age of forty-five. It is the worst cancer nightmare any woman does not want to go through. This young woman, a mother to two daughters, had also gone through it. Cancers do not acknowledge the age or the time. They just come and make a home whenever they want, ruining humans’ precious and beautiful lives.
Beginning Of A Breakdown
She was shocked and lost when she was first informed about her cancer. She was turning thirty-six. Various questions surrounded her head, as her family never had a history of the said cancer. She found herself crying in her husband’s embrace.
They were already doubting that something had gone wrong a month prior. One morning, the two daughters, who were 6 and 4, came to wake their mom up. The young lady defensively held her breasts as the little girls jumped on the bed. She felt the extra weight of one than the other, and her husband insisted she should see the doctor as soon as possible.
They went for an examination and soon found out the reason. It was a blocked milk duct even after years of breastfeeding. That was a relief for the couple. However, they were still trying to determine what would be in store for them. She underwent a mammogram, ultrasound, and, later, a Biopsy.
What could possibly be worse?
As 2020 came with the so-called pandemic, she had to attend every appointment alone. It felt even worse without someone close to her age. Then aiming for the worst, her father-in-law died, and she was very thankful to her husband for weighing this all on his shoulders.
The Plan For The Surgery
She planned to have the surgery first, then chemotherapy and radiation. For the surgery, she wanted a double mastectomy and reconstruction through plastic surgery. But she was limited with time to meet up with a plastic surgeon as she had only two weeks. So, she emphasized that she hopes to have a double mastectomy and reconstruction later. The couple went through photos of how she will look after the surgery, as it was essential. Though the lady was panicked, her husband was super supportive. But, finally, they decided on a single mastectomy on the cancerous breast as per the doctor’s advice.
After The Surgery…
She had the surgery in early September 2020 and was scared and vulnerable. Though the surgery went well, she could not ignore losing one puzzle piece of her identity. Especially as a woman, breasts hold a special place on your physical appearance. Either way, it was something that needed to be done. A few weeks later, her oncologist informed her that she was stage 1A and did not need to have chemotherapy because the cancer was gone. When her family knew about it, they were in disbelief and could not be happier.
Two Years Of Hardships
In February 2021, her grandmother was sent to heaven, and yet again, in April 2021, she lost her father, just after two months from the previous loss. And not to say it was just nine months after her father-in-law was lost. It all happened back-to-back in just nine months which was a rollercoaster ride. But ignoring the past roughly two years she had, she moved forward for the sake of her family and herself.
Learning And Accepting Herself
It is the end of two and a half years; the best thing is that she is doing well. Still, she has been undergoing hormone treatment, and her ovaries and fallopian tubes were removed, taking her chance to become a mother again. She will continue treatments for ten years from now.
She began to accept herself, photograph herself with the scar on her breast, and share it with others. She has passed a long way so far, and now she is encouraging others to accept themselves. Though life will not be as usual as before, she realizes what she is now is also a part of her. And she is determined not to lose herself in the process.
