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30-39
Renee Bunting
breast cancer
stage one

I was 38 years old when I found the lump in my breast. I didn't hesitate to go to the doctor immediately. Apprehensive, but sure that they would tell me it was "nothing". The doctor said it was movable, which was good, but sent me for a mammogram and sonogram. The mammogram looked "good" too, but when the technician did the sonogram, that's when things started to give me a bad feeling. The technician called in the doctor, who said the mass was solid and might be a fibroadenoma. He said that 80% of these lumps turn out to be that, and only 20% turn out to be cancer. I figured those odds sounded good to me. Then it was on to the surgeon. She also said that it felt movable, which was good, and would do a needle biopsy to find out. That was a simple procedure, done in her office. The next day she called and said it was negative. So far, so good. I was scheduled for a biopsy to remove the lump. It was 1.7 cm. and I was out at the State Fair the day following surgery. I felt fine, and basically felt that the "scare" was behind me. Five days after surgery the doctor called me. It is never good when the doctor herself calls, it is not to give you good news. The feeling deep in my stomach comes back to me each time I remember her words, "the tumor was cancerous." Stage one breast cancer. Highly treatable, good long term prognosis, the words were really just a blur from then on. Apparently, the needle aspiration doesn't get a lot of cells, so sometimes it is wrong. I was scheduled for a lumpectomy. After the lumpectomy, the doctor did not get a clear margin, and wanted to go back in again to achieve that. After much soul searching, between my options, I went back in for a third surgery. My next course of treatment was to have chemotherapy followed by radiation and tamoxifen, for 5 years. The chemotherapy consisted of Adriamycin and Cytoxin, 4 treatments, which is considered a "short course". I am now done with chemotherapy and have begun radiation. I have just started to get my hair back. It has been completely gone since December 6th. My journey is not yet complete, but it has been a long one and one that I will carry with me for a long time to come. I am sure that everyone will say breast cancer has changed me, it has made me sit back and reevaluate my priorities. It has made me sit back and smell the roses. It has made me sit back and realize that I have been given a chance not many people are given, to make each day count.

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