I can't tell you exactly when I started feeling the cancer coming on. I know that for months before I found the lump I had a pain that was shooting through my breast. It was like a lighting bolt of pain that started on the outside of my breast and went through the breast to the nipple. It was an extreme pain, a pain that usually stopped me from what I was doing. This went on for months and usually occurred one day out of the month. I figured it was something to do with my menstrual cycle. My mother and grandmother were both very young when they went through menopause so I figured I was too. I was 38.

Then in August of 06 I found a pretty good sized lump. It seemed to come out of nowhere. It frightened me and for a few weeks I ignored it. When my husband found the lump a few weeks later I knew I could no longer ignore it. I was still having the pain, although it was coming more than once a month.

I did some research on the Internet about breast lumps and found that everywhere I read I was told that breast cancer doesn't hurt. There was some info. about lumps showing up around your menstrual cycle and since that is when I started feeling the pain (once a month) I figured that must be it. I read that I should wait until my next cycle to see if it went away. So I did. By then it was Sept. and the lump was still there and still felt pretty big in size. So I figured I may as well call my gynecologist.

I had my appt. with her on Oct. 5 and she immediately sent me for a mammogram, that same day. Deep down I knew, but was so scared. I went for the mammogram and following that they did an ultra sound. They then informed me I would need to be back the following day for a biopsy.

So I had my biopsy on Friday the 6th of October and was set up to return on Wed. the 11th for the results. That was when my world stood still. I was informed that it was indeed cancer. Everything the nurse told me from there just got lost somewhere because I still can't remember a thing she said. My hubby was with me and helped to remember some of the things that I couldn't.

I then went to see my surgeon, whom I loved from the day I met her. She talked to me for over an hour just listening and answering my questions. I don't remember much of what she was saying either, being told you have cancer sort of makes your mind forgetful. Good thing my hubby was there with me to help me remember things yet again.

I then went to meet with a plastic surgeon to discuss my options of reconstruction. We decided the best way to go was a DIEP Flap reconstruction.

So I had a mastectomy on the 13th of November and was to have the reconstruction done at the same time. Well, when they got into my lymph nodes they found that 9 out of 10 were positive for cancer and my tumor was 4cm. that I would indeed need radiation so the reconstruction was put on hold. My plastic surgeon instead put in an expander to keep the skin going until he could perform the reconstruction.

I did pretty good with the surgery, I figured for sure I'd be out of control never having had any type of surgery before, but I did really well. I was sent home from the hospital after 4 days. My son, Stevie, has special needs and the morning of my surgery his routine was thrown off. I didn't get to put him on his school bus, my father-in-law was here to help. So he got to school and got sick. He ended up getting so sick that he was dehydrated and needed to go to the hospital himself. It ended up that he was right around the corner from me so when I was up and walking I could go sit with him. My poor hubby was beside himself. He had to stay with Stevie, yet wanted to be there for me as well. The man is truly a wonderful guy!

Some of my skin was starting to die from the surgery, being a heavy smoker, I knew that was a chance. So I went back in for an outpatient surgery on the 29th of November and my plastic surgeon took of the dead skin. It now looks so much better.

Since then I have pretty much quit smoking. I need a cigarette every now and then to help me stay calm, but hopefully in the next week I will be completely done with the nasty things.

On Dec 7th I met with my plastic surgeon to see how the latest surgery was coming along. He took out my last drain and everything is looking good and so on the 14th I go in to start filling up the expander to get it stretched and ready.

I also met with my oncologist on the 7th and he too is a great guy. I have been pretty lucky with my doctors and surgeons, they are all very supportive and wonderful. I am going to do a clinical trial and this will get the chemo to me and be more agressive. I will begin chemo on the 28th of Dec. so hopefully I'll do good with that.

I will have one more minor surgery on the 21st to put in a port to get my chemo through instead of going through my veins.

So this is my journey thus far. I am a bit nervous as to what is in store for me, but I know that I am strong and I can handle it. I know my faith in God will help me through this as well.

I will keep you posted as to what happens next in my journey and how things go from here on out. Again, I want to thank each and every one of you for the prayers and the cards, the emails of encouragement and the gifts that I have received as well. They all mean so much to me!!

Sheryl