Breast cancer – two simple words that can bring about pure dread. Regardless that with innovations in treatment and early detection a lot of women survive the cancer, it is tough not to have images of major weight loss, weakness, loss or hair and especially the loss of life Even with early diagnosis breast cancer might still require the loss of a breast. When chemotherapy is needed the experience can be serious on the person.
The ultimate fear of course is that the cancer is not found while in the early stages That by the time the cancer is diagnosed it is already metastic breast cancer When that happens, the woman’s five year survival rate, the statistical probability that she will still be alive 5 years beyond diagnosis drops drastically. Even with aggressive treatment the majrity of women will succumb to the disease at that stage.
When my spouse was told that she had breast cancer was the kind of day I hope to never have to experience again. The most difficult aspect was waiting to determine just how far her cancer had progressed. Though she had no symptoms my biggest fear was that she would have stage 4 breast cancer Fortunately, it was noticed while in the early stages. My wife had no lymph node involvement and the tumor was fairly small. Yet she went through 3 attempts at breast preserving surgery. On all three occasions the margins came back positive for the cancer. After the third time the surgeon suggested a mastectomy. This was more major surgery followed by breast reconstruction. And following that five years of hormonal therapy. In many ways she was fortuitous. Hers was not advanced breast cancer My wife did not require chemotherapy as her cancer reacts better to hormone therapy than to chemotherapy. She is doing great now. This is an experience, though, that I would not wish on anyone else. And I cannot even imagine what families must endure in the event the diagnosis is one of advanced breast cancer. I wish only the best for anyone affected by this disease.
