My story

JanElly

I first was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996 (invasive ductal carcinoma, ER and PR positive) and had a lumpectomy with radiation and chemo (CMF).  Back then we did not have sentinel node biopsy techniques, so I had 14 nodes removed that were all free of cancer.  I was diagnosed as Stage 1.  A year later I developed lymphedema.  I believe it was due to ignorance as to how to reduce the risk.  I gardened without gloves, poking my hand often, and I flew long-distance (including to Germany) without a compression sleeve.  I did get the proper therapy for the arm swelling from a certified lymphedema therapist and now live with a daily compression sleeve, but no nightly bandaging.  I took tamoxifen for five years.  When I went off of it, I started taking Fosamax for my bones.  In 2003 (a year and a half after I went off the tamoxifen), the radiologist found another lump in the same breast where I had the first tumor.  It was cancer again, this time moderately ER positive, PR negative, and HER-2 positive: Stage 1.  I had a bilateral mastectomy followed by adriamycin/cytoxan for three months, followed by weekly taxol.  It was quite an ordeal, as I was nauseous after each adriamycin treatment and lost my hair.  I started then on Arimidex and will take that daily for life.  For a whole year from 2005 to 2006 I took Herceptin as adjuvant therapy, even though my chemo was finished some time before.  God has been good to me throughout my struggles; I have found tremendous blessings from having faced the specter of cancer.  My cancer journey is chronicled in a newly published book I wrote, "Mourning Has Broken:  Reflections on Surviving Cancer" (Xulon Press 2008), which is also featured on my website (www.janhasak.com).  I want to share my story so that other women will know there is life and hope during and after breast cancer.  Jan Hasak