a SURVIVOR'S STORY

by Karen Kerr

I was 67 with 13 1/2 years of "clean" mammograms and I was feeling as if I’d beat the breast cancer rap well, until I’d go for a mammogram each year and I’d get that funny feeling and my blood pressure would go up.  But after all those years, it finally happened.  I got a call from the doctor’s office saying that I’d need to go for more tests.  What a whammy.

Luckily, (using the term loosely) I had a mass, not yet a lump, which meant that I would have a stereotactic procedure done the next week.  After an hour long needle biopsy the tests came back that something would need to be done soon.  By now I was NOT a happy camper.  The prognosis was that I could have other masses lurking since my body produces positive estrogen cancer cells.  I felt the best decision to make was to take the breast.

On the day of surgery, I went in early and had a procedure where they put dye into my breasts.  X-rays were taken periodically throughout the next four hours to see the flow of dye towards the sentinel node. When and if it reached that node would determine how many lymph nodes needed to come out to be tested. 

I try to attend as many cancer support meetings that I can. I may be a school counselor, but I need help too. Every time I dress for the day, I say a prayer of thanks, even as a tear falls because of my body’s appearance which is drastically different from most women.  It hurts me to see young women victims.  It hurts not to have found a cause or cure for breast cancer.  It hurts to hear promotions declaring "if you do this or do that you may prevent cancer".   Beans!  Not true!

I want to speak out and let others know that life goes on.  To any or all of you who have had to deal with a double mastectomy, please feel free to call me or come to the support group.  Please don’t sit at home as we all need your support and you may need ours.

I want to thank my husband, family members and friends who helped me to doctor appointments, sent well wishes and got me through it all.  I know that I must live each day to its fullest and be the best I can be.

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