A Survivor’s Story

by Kitty Ott

It wasn’t going to happen. I had participated in a five year study of Tamoxifin. That would take care of breast cancer for me! I should have known better.

I have four older sisters, three of whom had breast cancer. My fourth sister suffered cancer of the mouth and then a second bout with brain cancer. My youngest sister died too young, at age 49, from breast cancer. My older sister had a double mastectomy. She is now an active 91-year-old volunteering at her local Georgia nursing home, thinking up fun and games for the "old folks." I was surprised when my annual mammogram showed breast cancer - ductal carcinoma in situ. I felt nothing on my monthly self breast exam just a week before. I was told by Dr. Duven the lumps were too small to feel. Shows the importance of a mammogram! I’ve now had two surgeries and just completed 33 radiation treatments. Thank God for no chemotherapy.

My experience at the cancer center was a mostly happy one. The gals in radiation were my "clinic angels." Getting to meet them was an added bonus. They are a pretty lot - - always upbeat, pleasant and a joy to be around. I thank them and the doctors for making me feel important and making my visit to the cancer center pleasant. I’d love seeing them again, just not under the same circumstances!

The word "cancer" scares us all. Taking radiation treatments had me feeling a bit apprehensive, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought. It took longer to take off my blouse and put on a robe than it did to have the treatment. I love to tell that on my first visit I got "marked" to show the area on my breast for radiation. I told the girls that if I can’t have a butterfly marking I don’t want any markings at all. Would you believe the next day I received faux tattoos of butterflies? Pretty neat, huh?

​I don’t consider myself a victim of cancer and my experience hasn’t been unpleasant. A quiet, early spring morning drive to the clinic looking at the flowering trees, and then later, the blooming flowers, was magnificent. I loved checking on the mallard drake roaming the yard backing onto Ridgeway Avenue. You may think I’m a bit daft to find pleasure in these things at this time! It’s nice to have the treatments behind me. And I hope I have the cancer behind me too. I thank God I’ve gotten past this chapter in my life. I also thank God that he gave me cancer in the spring instead of the nasty, dark winter. There is some good in all things and I’ve been very blessed.  

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