Cancer Journey,  Me

I have breast cancer.

October 21, 2017 / 41 Comments

Yesterday, I found out that I have breast cancer. I’m 35, have no family history, am relatively healthy, and I have breast cancer. Two weeks ago I felt a lump, and despite my initial hesitation to go in and be seen about it, I did. I actually went straight to a specialist. My lump was confirmed by ultrasound… and then immediately after by mammogram. I had a biopsy the next day, and then yesterday my doctor’s initial prediction of cancer was confirmed.

So here’s what I know right now… I have a 2 cm tumor, and so they are giving me an initial staging as stage 1. So far they have not seen any indication that it has spread to my lymph nodes, but they will confirm this when they test my lymph nodes during surgery. I have a 9 cm calcification field surrounding the tumor that is also cancerous. They are less worried about this part. Due to the size of the calcification I will have a mastectomy, probably double (at my own request), and immediate reconstruction (or as I’m calling it, an upgrade! LOL). Surgery will probably be 3 to 6 weeks from now. Within the next week I will get further test results that will tell us if I need chemo, so I am praying that these results are favorable for a surgery-only treatment plan.

My initial feelings of shock, anxiety and sadness have been replace through faith with peace, optimism and gratefulness. I was able to take the official results yesterday in complete confidence that God’s got this! The peace that I feel is unreal.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7

The hardest thing so far has been seeing the worry and concern of my family and friends. And I get it, it’s scary and sad. But please, don’t worry on my behalf! My God is bigger than all of this!

I don’t know what my needs will be over the next several months, but right now what I need is prayer. Some specific prayer requests:

  • Pray for my complete healing
  • Pray that my next round of results come back indicating no need for chemo (positive, positive, negative on the three things they are testing for)
  • Pray that I continue to be filled with the peace of God and can attack this cancer from a position of positivity and optimism
  • Pray that Blake and I find the right words and right timing to communicate this news to our kids

Through all this I feel extremely blessed to have my faith, my awesome family and friends, a very competent doctor, a lot of flexibility with my job, and health insurance.

Now my PSA – ladies, if you feel something, see a doctor!! Even if you’re in your 20’s or 30’s. Even if you don’t have family history. Even if you eat organic, unprocessed food and are healthy! I never thought when I felt my lump that it would actually be cancer. But it was, and I’m so glad I called.

Moving forward, I want to talk about my cancer. I want to joke about it. I do not want it to be the elephant in the room. I want to focus on the positives (like my upcoming new boobs!) and I hope you all will join me in all this.

Love you all!
Jess

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41 Comments

  • Vivian

    October 21, 2017 at 2:21 pm Reply

    Jessica, I will be praying for your complete healing and that the next results indicate no need for chemo therapy. May you be filled with the peace of God.

  • Tracey Carter

    October 21, 2017 at 2:58 pm Reply

    I prayed and will continue to pray! I look forward to the praise reports that are coming! I thank God He hears and answers us! After reading you “open/close door” post, I prayed that prayer! In less than a week my company sold the area of the business I worked in and before my last day at that job, I had a better one! All to say, you do a wonderful job with your gift as an encourager, and I look forward to that continuing!
    Love and blessings!
    Tracey

  • Cindi Golod

    October 21, 2017 at 6:19 pm Reply

    Jessica I just want to give you a big hug. I’m available anytime if you want to talk. Your strength and the love of your family and friends will get you through this. 💕

  • Juanita

    October 21, 2017 at 7:11 pm Reply

    Jessica I am so shocked to hear this. But I am so proud of you and your positive attitude and strong faith. I will be praying for you. God has got you in this. Stay strong.
    Love you,
    Juanita

  • Fran

    October 22, 2017 at 9:13 am Reply

    Prayer coming to you for sure. I do not see you anymore physically but love all five of you and love getting to keep up with you thru fb. You will be fine and always your amazing self

  • Debbie Hamlin

    October 22, 2017 at 4:37 pm Reply

    My lump was discovered after my doctor insisted that I go for my mammogram. (It had been 3 years since my last one.) I chose to have a single mastectomy to remove all of my stage 0 chicken nugget sized DCIS. After surgery, they found that I had a small invasive tumor just barely large enough to require chemo (based on the treatment algorithm). That moved me to a stage 1c. I had an expander put in during the mx. My right swap-out and left reduction & lift was 3 weeks ago. I’m healing great. Looking back, I wish that I would have gone with a double mx.
    A sense of humor and a willingness to share & inform helped me get through my journey. The Facebook Mastectomy Support Group helped me understand what was happening along the way. Doctors who encouraged me to ask questions helped me face the fear with facts.
    We are so much more than our breasts. We can find bright points in anything that happens. (Losing my hair from chemo let me stay SO MUCH cooler this summer. The mastectomy gives me a good excuse to get my first tattoo.)
    I am on Facebook as Debbie Willis Hamlin. You can go look at my Live feeds of my steps along the way.
    I welcome you, my pink sister, to a group that is larger than it should be, but stronger than we once thought we were.

  • Audra Rivera Smith

    October 23, 2017 at 5:44 pm Reply

    Hey, girl! My fab 4 shared your news and I want you to know that you are in my prayers. I too have a mass and am having a lumpectomy on Nov. 6. My surgeon opted not to do a biopsy bc regardless it needs to come out. I’m here if you need. I understand the peace aspect b/c it is overwhelming how all of a sudden you’re ok. I will tell you that I’ve had moments of, “Wow, really? What if?!” But, yes, we serve a mighty God and He is in control. “Be still…”

    Praying!!!!

  • bogeyboob

    October 29, 2017 at 6:47 am Reply

    I’m so sorry to hear that you have also unfortunately been chosen by cancer. I’ll be following your posts as we progress along the journey to recovery together x

  • iheartjennychu

    November 21, 2017 at 11:14 am Reply

    Hey girl! I just went through a double mastectomy last year. I wrote about my journey on my blog site. I was 30 years old when I was diagnosed. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

  • Ewelina Snyder

    December 6, 2017 at 11:24 pm Reply

    Praying for you and hoping your surgery will go well. I lost my sister to breast cancer a few months ago and this illness is seriously a tough one to go through. Good luck with your recovery.

  • Tracy Wyatt

    December 11, 2017 at 4:36 pm Reply

    Hey welcome to the 1out of 8 club, yeh humor is my armor. I’ve read your post and my prayers and thoughts are with you. As a breast cancer diagnosis came to me June 30,2017 invasive ductal carcinoma 1 stage family history x2 and dad with prostate cancer they are linked apparently. Also high risk being young not in menopause and my Oncotyping was in the middle so high risk. Gene testing was negative but the genetic counselor said that doesn’t mean gene’s aren’t linked. There are only so many tested at this time. So later down the road I’ll get it again. I pray that you reconsider the mastectomy. Get you lumpectomy and start radiation be about 30 treatments. Was is ER+? Mine was so started chemo pill as well 2 times a day. jumping to such a radical surgery and not getting that done first is a bit extreme. Understand where I am in S.C I was seen at the top breast cancer institution and seen by the top breast cancer oncologist. He himself talked in detail of jumping the gun out of fear. my ovaries were the feeder to the tumor so they are now gone recovering til the end of the year as well as a mesh bladder sling and healing from radiation.I worked fulltime through it all. It was rough but I didn’t have a choice. We still produce estrogen naturally so I’m on a new chemo pill to block any estrogen production. Forced menopause and every side effect known to man not fun. My point is he just put it out there plain and simple mastectomies do not keep cancer from coming back. it can come back somewhere else. Also I recommend Genetic testing and ONCO TYPE testing too. Get all that after your lumpectomy sentinel node biopsy then think about the boob removal. first things first, then start radiation if estrogen positive chemo pill Tamoxifen if not eER+ they may recommend trial of port/iv chemo. Don’t put yourself through unnecessary surgery. this is hard enough as it is! God bless and Merry Christmas

    • biscuitsncrazy

      December 12, 2017 at 8:28 am Reply

      Hi Tracy! Thank you so much for reaching out! I’m not sure if you read my other updates, but my diagnosis went from stage 1 to stage 3 with lymph node and mammary gland involvement, so I feel really comfortable throwing the kitchen sink at this thing. Truly the surgery is the least of my worries believe it or not! Being Her2+ they don’t do oncotype testing. Wishing you the very best in your journey as well!! ❤️❤️

  • caleymay

    January 14, 2018 at 10:45 pm Reply

    Hi, i am 31 and was diagnosed with breast cancer stage 2 on December 26th. I too am choosing to have a double masectomy (although cancer is only in my rite breast). So I am thinking of you as you fight your fight, as i fight mine!

  • sylvie1017

    March 13, 2018 at 5:24 am Reply

    wow Jess i love this post… I just found out I have Breast cancer too and following a suggestion from a family friend i decided to start my own positive take on it by opening up and talking freely about it. congrats and I hope that you are doing well and keeping it real and open!!!!

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