Wednesday, November 23, 2011

An Intimate Dance With Inflammatory Breast Cancer....

This has been a hard post to write. Partly because I am such a private person, partly because of raw emotions. I sit writing this in the local hospital's Cancer Treatment Center (hairless by  the way) while receiving a full day of chemotherapy drugs. This is my second treatment session.  Six sessions in all, each session lasting 21 days...so well into February I will be receiving chemotherapy.  Then there will be a mastectomy followed by more months of radiation and chemotherapy. Fifty two weeks in all to rid my body of cancer...or so we hope:)

I tell you this because my cancer did not start as a lump. It started as a redness and swelling on my right breast that looked as much like a bee sting as anything else...but obviously was not:) Four days later I was sitting in a doctors office thinking I had an infection  of mastitis. So antibiotics were started...but because my doctor was proactive...he scheduled mammograms, ultra sounds and got me registered in a local program to help with financing with breast and cervical cancer should this be more than an infection. A week later after biopsies, on October 13, I was diagnosed with a rare form of  cancer called Inflammatory Breast Cancer. It travels fast and loves to spiderweb to the other breast, to bone marrow and brain tissue. I was fortunate that this was caught before it traveled any further than my right breast and the lymph nodes under my arm. So I am Stage III C IBC. Nineteen days after diagnosis I started  Chemotherapy...what a wonderful world we live in:)

I tell you this because...don't take any chances if something unusual and visual  happens with your breast. There was and is no pain from the cancer. The first I was aware was the redness. But thinking back...for several weeks I had been easier to fatigue than usual. But when you are sixty...you tire easier:) I put a lot of this on just being older...but was not the case:)

So....run, do not walk to your nearest doctor if these signs show up. May not be anything...thought mine was simple infection...tired to just being older. But neither were routine for me:) The only fighting chance you have with this nasty invader is recognizing it quickly!

If you want to know more about Inflammatory Breast Cancer...click on the title above and go to the research site. Might be good information to keep in the back of your mind...for future reference. I hope you never need it, but at least a seed of knowledge is there. I had no knowledge of IBC. Just thought breast cancer was breast cancer...which is bad enough. My heart goes out to every single person who has had to deal with cancer in any form. Not only does it knock you off your feet mentally and emotionally...it takes your family and friends down the same road.

I can not tell you how much the support of family and friends have meant to me. The support of internet friends has filled in any gaps. I am doing well:) This is the beginning of second of my 21 day  sessions...so only four more sessions to go of the hard chemo drugs. I am staying positive, my family and friends are staying positive that this will be a cure for me. 

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself. "I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along."

Thanks for listening....any positive thoughts or prayers are eagerly accepted...my family and friends far and wide will keep me positive and on the path to healing. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! Some become more special just by the nature of reality. You forget to say I love you enough, thank you enough, treasure each smile enough, each grand childs hug enough...there is always tomorrow you know....but maybe not:)

Thank you Gina, Steph, Harry, Cindy, Birgitta, Viki, Carol Ann and many others for all your inspirational words, healing thoughts and quotations of power of positive thought and living, gifts filled with the power of love...and prayers from lovely people of many faiths that I have never met. I feel the love and the connection...my family feels this love too! I treasure each of you!!

And if I have made any broken promises... please forgive me! I have been somewhat distracted this past month...but if you will remind me...I will correct the broken promise:)

24 comments:

  1. Sending many positive thoughts your way xxxxxxxx

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  2. These positive thoughts,karma, and love are coming to you from near Seattle!! Stay strong!!

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  3. D,
    Your positive attitude and eagerness to educate others at such a difficult time is a tribute to your enormous strength and courage. You have reminded us all what is truly important in life. Thank goodness for early intervention...you will be in my thoughts as you travel down the healing path. Many thanks for sharing your story...you are very brave for doing so..
    Wishing you and your family warmth and love this Thanksgiving. xo

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  4. THANK YOU to YOU D... for your courage, your strength... you're a warrior, woman and a talented artist! :) Big Hugs to you! :)

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  5. Hugs and prayers to you as you go through this. My sister has been through cancer this year and it has been a tough road for all of us.

    Will have you in my thoughts and prayers

    Hugs
    Brenda

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  6. May you be blessed with continued strength and positivety. Thank you for showing such concern for others by sharing your personal story and hopefully giving us all tools if ever we find ourselves in a similar situation.
    You have touched me through your art and now more so through your spirit...I am "thankful" for you.

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  7. I wish you strength to get through this difficult time and I wish you healing. Sending love and healing energy...

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  8. I am reading your blog (it`s on my bloglist )
    and also this post.
    Thankyou fro telling us about this (also to me )unknown breast cancer.
    I dearly hope for you the treatment helps getting the cancer, jump out of your body.
    Blessings,Dorthe

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  9. My thoughts and prayers will be with you on your journey. With your wonderful attitude I KNOW you can beat the big C! Thanks for sharing about IBC - a friend's sister had it several years back or I wouldn't have heard of it either. Big hugs and may you have many blessings in the coming months.

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  10. hugs and prayers and love

    and thanks for sharing your story, I am certain someone will gain from your gift

    margie cansino

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  11. I am so sorry to hear about your cancer Dorcas, but at the same time so happy that it got discovered quick enough and that you will be ok. I am sending you healing thoughts and lots of love. Sammy sends kisses too.I am very thankful to know you and I wish you a speedy recovery. Thank you for sharing and thank you for educating me. I had no idea that this sort of breast cancer even existed.

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  12. I send you healing thoughts and energy to get through all the treatments. And thank you for your generosity in educating us about IBC.

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  13. Im with You over here !!!
    Thinking about You <3<3<3

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  14. Thanks for sharing this, and I'm thinking of you. I have avoided a mammogram for way too long -- but have one next month.

    Thinking of you.

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  15. Your art, D, is so full of the joy of life, I'm certain you harbor deep reserves of strength. May you continue to tap into them.

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  16. hi, I'm a fellow IBCer from New Zealand. Just wanted you to know there is a lot of good support and fellowship out there for you - a lot of us belong to the mailing list at IBCsupport.org and we have a couple of very active Facebook groups with people from around the world. I found your blog through my google alerts. Wishing you good luck on your journey and feel free to get in touch if you want more info

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  17. My heart goes out to you! You have always been kind and listened to my journey with painful experiences!! I will say many prayers for you!

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  18. Dearest Dorcus, I send you many blessings of healing and strength as you go through this mighty journey. Your artwork is so amazing and so are you. Thank you for contributing to the Virtual Craft Fair and giving me this opportunity to hear your story, hopefully become a friend and encourage you whenever I can. You are in my prayers always. BIG HUGS!
    Lori

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  19. My thoughts are about you this morning. If I could send you anything in these thoughts, I send a moment of peace with your art.

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  20. I just found your blog after shopping in your store. I am 65 and am an 11 year breast cancer survivor. I know the discomfort of chemotherapy and the bald scalp :-). My heart goes out to you in your fight. It sounds like you have a great support system but I am available if you have the need to share with another fighter.

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  21. Hey D,

    hope you're okay and no chemo brain this time... I gave your blog an award... more info on my blog...
    BIG BIG BATTY HUGS to YOU... :)))

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  22. Dear friend- I love your work and pray you will be well and restored to your whole self very soon.

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  23. Wishing you a full and quick recovery. Blessings to you and your family. Loving, healing prayers to you all <3 <3 <3

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