Hi! My name is Mary Kay and this month (September) will be my third year as a breast cancer fighter and survivor. WOW! I am so very blessed to able to say that!
I went for my annual mammogram and ultrasound in August 2012. It was there that my doctor found “something” on the ultrasound and wanted to schedule a biopsy. This did not alarm me because I had several biopsies in the past and none of them turned out to be troublesome. But then, on 9/11/12, life as I knew it came to a screeching halt. I received the call from my doctor herself, telling me I had infiltrating ductal carcinoma. While feeling my head spinning, hands shaking, knees getting weak, and my heart in my throat–I was in fight or flight mode! To me there was no choice–fight, fight, fight! I am a single parent with much life yet to experience with my son, so there was NO WAY cancer was going to get the best of me!
My plan of attack consisted of a bilateral mastectomy with free-tram flap reconstruction, eight rounds of chemo, and 28 days of radiation. And I have had two more reconstructive surgeries in the past year and a half.
Through it all, I have had an amazing support system of family, friends, and even people that I didn’t know who came from my friend’s church to bring us meals. I have also had an amazing team of surgeons, oncologists, and physical therapists, http://www.papsociety.org/xanax-alprazolam-1-mg/.
During my post op exam, my doctor was telling me about lymphedema and what to look out for. She told me if I ever had any concerns to “go see those girls at TurningPoint. They know what they are doing and they are the best at it”. And she was spot on with her advice to me. I began having range of motion issues and tightness in my arm almost a year after surgery. As a pre-school teacher, I needed all the function and strength I could muster to keep up with my class! I recalled the doctor’s enthusiastic referral to TurningPoint and I called without delay. That was about a year and a half ago and I have been with team Lauren and Anita ever since! They have truly made a difference in my life and how I am healing through their knowledge, compassion, and true concern with what I am going through.
I am very grateful for Lauren, Anita, and everyone who makes TurningPoint what it is–a place to help me heal, a place where I feel comfortable, confident, and understood. As I said earlier, I am blessed to be alive, but I most certainly did not get where I am all on my own–I had a lot of help along the way, for which I will be eternally grateful. It DOES take a village!
Peace and love to all those who are fighting, surviving, and to those who are helping make it all happen!
