beyond pink team
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Our Board
    • Annual Report
    • Contact Us
  • Support
    • Physical
    • Emotional
    • Community
    • Financial
    • Caregiver
    • Online
  • Education
    • Newsletter
    • Ignite the Cancer Conversation
    • Quality Care
    • Resources
    • Request Speaker
    • The Cancer Journey
  • Advocacy
    • What is Advocacy
    • National Breast Cancer Coalition
    • Iowa Stop Breast Cancer
    • Research
    • Influencing Policy
    • Access to Care
  • Join Us
    • Be an Advocate
    • Volunteer
    • Events >
      • 16th Annual Pink Ribbon Run
    • Membership
    • Donate to BPT
    • Follow Us
 If you are Breast Cancer Survivor and  you would like to contribute your story to our Newsletter, 
​please send us a message here.
DOWNLOAD Current NewsletteR

Categories

All
Advocacy
Bone Health
Breast Density
Breast Disease
Caregivers
COVID 19
COVID-19
Emotional Support
Environment
Exercise
Fatigue
Financial
Gender
Genetic Testing
Grief
High Risk
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Ignite
Implants
Intimacy After Cancer
LGBTQ
Lymphedema
Mammography
Meditation
Men
Mental Health
Metastasis
MRI
NBCC
Nutrition
Obesity
Pain
Pregnancy
Prevention
Radiation
Reconstruction
Reduce Risk
Rehabilitation
Screening
Sex
Side Effects
Support Groups
Surgery
Survivor
Survivorship
Treatment
Vaccine
Yoga
Young Women

Archives

January 2023
October 2022
July 2022
April 2022
January 2022
October 2021
July 2021
April 2021
January 2021
October 2020
July 2020
April 2020
January 2020
October 2019
July 2019
April 2019
January 2019
October 2018
July 2018
April 2018
January 2018
October 2017
July 2017
April 2017
January 2017
October 2016
July 2016
April 2016
January 2016
October 2015
July 2015
April 2015
January 2015
October 2014
July 2014
April 2014
January 2014
October 2013
July 2013
April 2013
January 2013
October 2012
July 2012
April 2012
January 2012
October 2011
July 2011
April 2011
January 2011
October 2010
July 2010
April 2010
January 2010
October 2009
July 2009
April 2009
January 2009
October 2008
July 2008
April 2008
January 2008
October 2007
July 2007
April 2007
January 2007
October 2006
July 2006
April 2006
January 2006
October 2005
July 2005
April 2005
January 2005
October 2004
July 2004
April 2004
January 2004

A SURVIVOR'S STORY: Hope, Bravery, Courage & Endurance

7/2/2005

0 Comments

 
by Kim Luebbers

I was 35 and working as a radiation therapist, giving treatments for cancer, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had a husband and three children ages 7, 3, and 2. My breasts were very fibrocystic and I had a large area in my breast that had always troubled me but now appeared to be changing. I had aspirations and a biopsy before. The first biopsy in 1995 showed only fibrocystic disease. In September of 2001, I went to the doctor and a fine needle aspiration showed atypical cells, suspicious for malignancy.

Two weeks later an open biopsy was performed which showed ductal carcinoma insitu and a 5mm tubular carcinoma. After talking to my surgeon, medical oncologist and radiation oncologist, I decided to have a double mastectomy. To some, this treatment choice may have seemed too aggressive but I knew that breast cancer in younger women tends to act more aggressively, and I had lots of other lumps in my breasts. My tumor had not shown up on mammogram and I didn’t want to have to worry about what kind of cells were in those lumps.
​
I also consulted with a plastic surgeon to discuss options for reconstruction. I opted for immediate reconstruction and my surgeon and plastic surgeon performed the operation together. My tumor was small, I had no positive lymph nodes and I had very little breast tissue left after surgery. For all these reasons the doctors agreed I did not need any radiation or chemotherapy. The reconstruction was very helpful to me in dealing with the loss of my breasts.

All my efforts were focused on getting well physically, trying to eat and sleep well and not let the pain get to me. I was dealing with the physical part of my cancer, not doing too badly, handling things well, or so I (and everyone) thought.

You might think that this would be the end of my journey; however, this is when the toughest part began. When I finally began to deal with the emotional part of having a cancer diagnosis and losing my breasts, it became extremely difficult for me to give radiation treatments to my patients. I knew we were facing the same monster. Everyone’s story was different, yet similar, different diagnosis and tests, yet similar emotions. I found it difficult to be grateful for my prognosis.

I was physically tired having all these emotions of anger, sadness and despair while also trying to keep up with working full-time, the housework, being a wife, and being a mother to three small children. It put a strain on my relationship with my husband. I felt indifferent about a lot of things and felt joy in nothing.

At a yearly appointment with my gynecologist, I finally broke down sobbing. She asked me if I thought I needed an antidepressant and I said, "No." Why couldn’t I be as strong emotionally as I was physically? I felt like a failure.
Because I was so depressed I agreed to take the medicine prescribed. Slowly my mood began to improve and I was able to get beyond the depression and start to find joy again. My work was not as hard for me emotionally. I was able to empathize with my patients, understand how they were feeling and encourage them.

It is difficult to deal with a cancer diagnosis, to have check-ups and worry about the possibility of the cancer coming back or spreading, For me, it was scary to have to deal with my own mortality at my age. Some of the most difficult days for someone with cancer may be after the treatments are finished, just when everyone thinks you’re fine.
Within a week of celebrating my third year of being cancer free, I had a scare. I had to have one of my implants removed due to an infection. This doesn’t happen very often, but leave it to me to have a low risk complication. After three months of healing I was able to begin the reconstruction over again. After two more surgeries and about six more months, I will be back to my "new" normal self.

I am grateful no cancer was found when my implant was removed. I am completely satisfied with the decision my doctors and I have made so far. I would not change anything except for having cancer in the first place.
It is important to have a support system during and after cancer treatment. I personally believe that the emotional side of cancer is the most difficult to deal with. I encourage people to reach out to others for support; people in our churches, co-workers, friends and family. Most often people are willing to help. As survivors, we need to let others know when we need the help. In asking for help we display our strength.

​
Read Full Newsletter
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

CONTACT US

Beyond Pink TEAM
c/o Jeanne Olson, Treasurer
1407 Asbury Lane
Waterloo, IA 50701
​beyondpinkteam@gmail.com
(319) 239-3706
©2020 Beyond Pink TEAM
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Our Board
    • Annual Report
    • Contact Us
  • Support
    • Physical
    • Emotional
    • Community
    • Financial
    • Caregiver
    • Online
  • Education
    • Newsletter
    • Ignite the Cancer Conversation
    • Quality Care
    • Resources
    • Request Speaker
    • The Cancer Journey
  • Advocacy
    • What is Advocacy
    • National Breast Cancer Coalition
    • Iowa Stop Breast Cancer
    • Research
    • Influencing Policy
    • Access to Care
  • Join Us
    • Be an Advocate
    • Volunteer
    • Events >
      • 16th Annual Pink Ribbon Run
    • Membership
    • Donate to BPT
    • Follow Us