A Year Ago

A year ago, I got the call. I can still hear the radiologist voice, “The results are a shock. We were not expecting this. Your biopsy showed cancerous cells.”

A year ago, I was 18 weeks pregnant.

A year ago, I called my husband to tell him the news. I can still hear the confusion in his voice when he asked, “What?”

A year ago, I called my parents to tell them I had the same disease that killed my grandmother.

A year ago, I called my sisters to tell them their baby sister has breast cancer and they needed to get a mammogram.

A year ago, I had to explain to my 5-year-old daughter what cancer is.

A year ago, I found out who really cared about me.

A year ago, I was ready to lose my hair and breast.

A year ago, I had to tell my husband my wishes in case I lost.

A year ago, my life flipped upside down.

A year ago, I became a fighter.

In a year I learned a lot.

I learned more about my grandma.

I learned what really worrying about the future and my kid’s future really felt like.

I learned that I have friends and family in my corner.

I learned to ask for help.

I learned that its not just surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

I learned what it felt like to age seemingly overnight.

I learned what menopause feels like even though I’m 33 and “still so young.”

I learned that always being a breast cancer supporter and thinking I understood, could never prepare me for what it feels like to be an actual breast cancer fighter.

I learned cancer doesn’t care about age, genetics, or your family history.

I learned the side effects of all the treatments.

I learned that cancer doesn’t just affect the patient.

I learned that cancer affects more than just the location it is found.

I learned how much cancer truly, completely sucks.

But do you know what I know?

I know I have two girls I need to see grow up.

I know what it feels like to hold your hero in your arms. (Talking about Andarta here)

I know the challenges that a cancer patient faces emotionally, physically, and mentally.

I know how much I took my hair for granted.

I know that people care about me.

I know that my husband’s friends care about him, our kids, and me.

I know people need to be educated and aware that this can happen to them at any time.

I know my 5-year-old is curious and that she loves her mommy. I know she has questions and will have more. The most famous question? “Why do you have cancer, mommy?”

I know my little hero is healthy and strong and that she is fighter like her mommy.

I know how completely amazing, awesome, strong, (and handsome) my husband is.

I know how supportive my parents and sisters are.

Most importantly, I know I’m stronger than I thought.

Yes, cancer has changed my life, but I won’t let it get me down because I HAD cancer, cancer NEVER had me.

I’m a fighter. I’m a survivor.

My passion is to help raise awareness for breast cancer research and sharing my story. I was 32 and pregnant at the time of diagnosis. Most of the time, a person with little family history of breast cancer does not get screening until at least 40. That was me, I was told I did not have to worry because it was my dad's mom who had cancer. Cancer doesn't discriminate. It doesn't care how old you are, what gender you are (men can get breast cancer too), or what your family history is like. I want to build awareness and get insurance companies and doctors to drop the age requirement for screening. If we have to have pap smears when we become sexually active and every three years after, why not get breast cancer screening before the age of 40.