Not a Disease, but a Journey: Breast Cancer

When people think of cancer, many automatically murmur negative things. For example, death, Chemotherapy, hair loss, and other symptoms of feeling fragile. What people do not know is that even though you can see the patient suffering physically, their family is also being affected as well. Being a daughter of a mother with Colon cancer has affected me emotionally, spiritually, and virtually.

When my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer, we were all very sad, but she believed that she could win. There are five stages of grief, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. She never got to the stage of acceptance because she knew she was strong enough to fight this rigorous battle. Although she knew the cancer was inside of her, she never let it change her life. She always looked on the bright side of things and saw this illness as an opportunity to live life to the fullest and be with family more. Being optimistic makes her a hero because thinking on the bright side gave her a positive attitude and gave her the strength to fight against

I'm glad to hear that you're feeling slightly better!!!!! I had a similar issue with my grandma who had breast cancer, as well as other family members. I was so frustrated and found the doctors were equally responsible for a multitude of reasons. I packed up her bags and moved her North, where she could receive treatment at the Mayo clinic. Everything is coordinated for you (like it should be)!!! Results (labs/scans) are immediately sent to your smartphone when they become available, and you receive a list of all your specialist appointments and testing in advance. Labs/scans/, etc. are done (same day) onsite prior to your doctor's appointment all under one roof. You have a team of doctors working together on your treatment

My parents told me that I was going to start chemotherapy and that I had to have surgery to put my port in. They said that I would have to stay in the hospital for a while and that I would feel really sick. On december 16,2007 I checked into Children’s hospital in Boston. I figured out what cancer was a couple of months later. I was not a big fan of shots but they gave several of them daily. The worst thing about being in a hospital is that there is nothing you can do to improve your situation. I got used to taking pills because they would give me multiple every day. The worst part about cancer was the fact that I lost my hair.During my beginning phases of Cancer I was told to miss school. I ended up missing 5 months of school while in the first grade. The principle wanted to hold me back a year but my teacher said that I was so advanced that I was able to move to the seond grade anyway.In November of 2008 the Make A Wish foundation granted me my wish of going to Disney World. I had never been outside of Massachusetts so going to Florida as a big deal for me. I had also never been on a plane and people say that your ears start to hurt so I was pretty

It all started when I received a phone call from my mother in 1998. She had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. I was grief stricken, and prayed she would get through this terrible ordeal. Nineteen years later, and she is in remission and doing great. Fast forward to 2007. I was active duty military and had not been getting my mammograms as recommended because of the high risk of breast cancer, or any cancer for that matter. I was stationed in Colorado Springs, at the Air Force Academy. I scheduled the mammogram due to soreness and an unusual lump in my left breast. (Teresa Harris).

It is incredibly difficult for a nine year old to fully understand the severity of stage four inflammatory breast cancer, but it’s nearly impossible when a doctor tells you that your mother only has six weeks to live. However, I can still remember the exact moment when I realized my mother was sick: I walked into the hospital room to find her tied up to machines and in excruciating pain. I froze. I wanted to help her, but how could I? The next few years were difficult. Between numerous surgeries and treatments, I spent my days in the hospital—doing my schoolwork and watching people run through the halls. It was there that I realized the incredible impact nurses have on their patients. To this day, my mother believes that without the help of

I never thought I would be affected so deeply by one word. Cancer tore my whole world apart in what felt like an instant. When my mother was diagnosed, never did I imagine it would take her away from me. I was essentially just a child who never thought about death. Let alone, the death of the one person who is responsible for bringing me into this world. I went through a lot during the course of a couple months. From the doctor’s appointments, to multiple hospital environments, then finally getting the call I never thought would come. One thing that I will carry with me is not having my mom there to witness all the important things happening in my life as I get older. The most difficult thing I had to cope with was I had to grow from a child

I was 9 when my mom received the phone call from her oncologist – he was fairly positive that she had breast cancer. Cancer. I remember feeling so hopeless and afraid – how could I live without my mother? How could I stand by and watch her die, unable to do anything to help? Even until today, I still remember the feeling of desperation and hopelessness

Have you ever had a scary moment where you think you or somebody else in your family might die? Well… I have and I never want it to happen again. This is my Mom’s story.

Two years ago, my grandmother was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. One year ago, my family and I were informed that she only had a year to live at the most. For months we've sat on the edges of our seats, watching her go through hard times to even more difficult times and wondering what moment would be the last. It was this fall that we realized these past few months would be our last with her.

There have been 3 cases of untreatable cancer in my family. The first time I had was aware of cancer is when my grandfather was diagnosed with bone cancer. My grandfather was a very happy man with such joy that being sad around him was almost impossible especially after his passing. Grandpa Ken was what I called him. losing my grandfather made life very difficult for my grandmother who has several physical troubles. He died when i was very young, but even at a young age his death impacted me heavily.

I cannot describe what I felt when my mom told me she had cancer. I was sad, I was scared; I did not even know if I felt anything. My mom, however, stayed positive and hopeful while I stayed quiet and seemingly apathetic. There was an obvious ironic contrast between the emotional state of me and the woman who actually had cancer.

Breast cancer is a horrifying and very serious disease that should not be underestimated. It is a common cancer in women but the majority of women that are affected by this disease do not know that it can be treated in all sorts of ways or that breast cancer rarely ever appears in the same form more than once. As one of the leading causes of death in the United States, breast cancer is affecting tons of people. Orenstein, a breast cancer survivor, discusses the awareness and education of breast cancer today and to give us a full understanding of the disease. In “Our Feel-Good War on Breast Cancer”, Breast cancer awareness and the effectiveness or lack of effectiveness is an important part of this article. She provides historical background in her article which gives an insight into the history of breast cancer to her specific audience and also discusses early detection versus late detection and also the possibility of overtreatment. Orenstein has a different outlook on breast cancer and has different approach in her article by stating her personal story as an introduction into her riveting article. Using her personal story at the beginning gets her readers to have an emotional attachment to her and to be more open to her ideas. This technique is effective, but however her claim would be more effective with research that proved the lack of effectiveness of mammograms.

The Breast Cancer Decision Aid was tested in a convenience sample of 51, age, riskappropriate

My mother and I were with my aunt during her grim diagnosis of ovarian cancer; we sat apprehensively for hours in the waiting room. We were please at the sound of remission, but for long. Her last bittersweet moments were spent with us in her apartment. We braided her hair and cooked her dinner. We wiped the salty mixture of sweat and tears off our faces. When she passed my mother sobbed and told me she had died of a broken heart. Her husband was akin to my father, so her strength