Survivor Story - MY SON IS WHY I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER

Written by Kim Kockler
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​In April of 2020, my husband and I welcomed baby #2 into our family. Rylan joined big brother Gavin at home. Fortunately or unfortunately, however you look at it, Rylan is the reason I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Just four short months after birth, I was having severe pain and felt a lump in my right breast. I thought for sure it was a clogged milk duct, so I tried all the methods to find relief. Nothing seemed to work so I went to my doctor for some help. Little did I know, that “clogged milk duct” would turn out to be breast cancer.

I was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma(IDC). I was also triple negative.  The week of diagnosis was a whirlwind. I’m a teacher. It was the start of a new school year. We were in the mist of the Covid-19 pandemic. Teachers were told to be very flexible because rules/ regulations were changing daily. I went to my initial visit with my oncologist. Due to my compromised immune system while on chemo and the unknown of the coronavirus, my team of doctors made the suggestions of taking a medical leave of absence for the school year.

Only a few days into the school year, I was going to be leaving my students to begin fighting my battle with cancer. My medical team decided that I would do chemotherapy first and then have surgery to remove any remains of the tumor. Fortunately for me, my cancer had not spread and was contained to my right breast.  I did 20 rounds of chemo from  September 2020 to  February 2021.

In February, I made the decision to have a double mastectomy, with reconstruction. Mastectomy recovery was rough. It was painful. I also had two boys at home that I wasn’t able to interact with because of weight restrictions and just the fear of them hitting my chest.  In July of 2021, I was able to have my expanders taken out and my breast implants put in. That surgery was a breeze compared to the mastectomy surgery. The recovery was much easier. 

Five weeks after surgery, I started back to work for the 2021-2022 school year. I was determined to go back to work at the start of the year. Physically, I was ready. I wasn’t at my full strength, but anything I needed to do as a teacher, I could handle. However, looking back I was mentally not ready to be back to work.

The first semester was tough. I cried a lot. My body had changed a lot in the past year and I hadn’t fully realized that. I was under a lot of stress for a lot of different reasons. I was able to get some medical help, and second semester went much smoother. 

​As I write this reflection, I am a year and a half cancer free. It is a fantastic feeling! Instead of spending the summer recovering from surgeries, this year, I am spending quality time with my 5- and 2-year old. We are keeping busy with the typical summer activities, but I am also taking all the snuggles, hugs and kisses I can get, since I couldn’t experience them last year.   

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