In November of l989, right after my Dad had died of cancer; I found a lump in my breast.  I thought to myself, “could this be a cancerous lump?  I’m only 36 years old!”  I let it go for about a month and then decided to have it checked out.

Being only 36, I had never had a mammogram (40 was the magic number), so I went to the doctor and had my first mammogram.  There were calcification spots on my breast and the doctor recommended an ultrasound.  This also came back suspicious, so a biopsy was ordered.  Of course, most of you know the “rest of the story” from there.

Four days after Christmas in l989 I was in the hospital having a mastectomy.  Back in l989, mastectomy was pretty much the only surgery they were doing for breast cancer.  I asked about lumpectomy but my surgeon said that was still too new to use as an option.  Also, they were not doing reconstruction at the time of surgery then, so that would have to be addressed later.  My journey continued with six months of chemo (that’s every week for six months) or 26 sessions of chemo.  By the time I was almost done, I needed some counseling just to physically get me into the doors of St. Vincent’s Oncology Department.  The counselor told me that I actually had “combat fatigue” similar to soldiers who will not go back into battle.   A caring oncology nurse met me at the back door of the hospital and took me up back stairs and into a back room to give me my last two treatments!  (Those nurses are angels aren’t they?).  Anyway, it did come to an end!  Those Pigs Were Flying!

Somewhere near the end of chemo I started reconstruction with a tissue expander and eventually with a silicone implant.  Right after it was implanted the news hit that silicone was causing terrible things in your body including autoimmune diseases and death in some women!  Needless to say, I was devastated.  Now, they have found that isn’t the case with silicone.  Unfortunately, unlike most patients, I did have trouble with the implant and two years later, I had to have it removed.

The good news is breast cancer changed my life – for the better!  After all the surgeries and treatments were behind me, I started to look at my life in a whole different way.  I had a wonderful husband, two beautiful daughters ages 9 and l2 and great family and friends!   I was alive and I was determined to make every single day of the rest of my life worthwhile.  I decided to live every day like it was my last, and, by God, l7 years later I can honestly say I have done that!

The first thing I did was go on a massive perennial planting campaign in my backyard.  This was my new source of life.  I was determined that I was going to be around every year to see those perennials come up in Spring!  I planted about six different beds and now every year when they come up, I just smile to myself and thank God for another year to enjoy these beautiful flowers.  The next thing I decided to do was “take stock” in my life.  I soon decided that from now on I would know what was important and what wasn’t.  Some of the little things that had bothered me before just were not important any more.  I would see people fussing and complaining about little things and I would just smile to myself knowing, that only God, love, health, family and friends are what is really important.

When I was “really back on my feet”, I decided to make a difference for other breast cancer survivors.  First I found I could help by just being there for people.  I was talking to friends of friends, people I hadn’t seen in years, ladies someone knew at work, (well, you get the picture).  Then, I found Reach to Recovery with the American Cancer Society, which is a wonderful support organization for women and men who have been diagnosed.  I did this for ten years. We would actually go out and make home visits and talk and be supportive.  It was wonderful.

During this time, my youngest daughter graduated from high school, so I decided a career change was in order.  I decided to go back to school at age 45!  I went to Massage Therapy School with the intention of helping cancer patients through massage.  I created a private practice for myself after my schooling and opened my doors to cancer patients as well as other people seeking therapeutic massage.  I operated this successful massage practice for eight years, just retiring from this last fall.  I amazed myself that I was strong enough physically to do this, since I had the breast surgery and reconstruction.  Pigs do Fly!

Last year, my daughters and I participated in a Triathlon at Disney World, for Breast Cancer.   The Danskin Corporation sponsors about four of these events throughout the United States every year to raise money for breast cancer research.  We swam the lagoon at Disney World (I would not recommend doing this, it was very dirty!), biked around Disney World and ran through Disney World.  When my two daughters and I ran through the finish line the tears were running down my face!   It was one of the most profound moments of my life.  Seventeen years earlier I would never have imagined that I would be able to do this.  Pigs Can Fly!

After leaving my massage practice I prayed that I would find direction to keep me in my life’s journey to make a difference.  Shortly after the first of the year of 2007, I made a call to Ribbon of Hope, hoping they might need me for something with their wonderful organization.  Well, they did.  A couple of months later here I am volunteering for Ribbon of Hope and feeling like God has smiled on me again.  I could not be happier helping breast cancer women and men get through their journeys.  I hope I am making a difference by being an example of “you can do it!”  After all, Pigs Can Fly!!

Diane