Diagnosed on my 29th birthday...

My name is Salli. I'm a 29 year old, stay at home mother of 2 (ages 4 and 1 1/2), a wife of 7 years, and a breast cancer survivor.

In May I went to see a breast surgeon at the recommendation of my OB. I had just quit nursing my 1 year old son and had an area of dense tissue that she thought I should get checked out. My breast surgeon ultrasounded the area and was pretty sure it was just from nursing, but figured since I was there she'd do a needle biopsy. Just over a week later I received the call that I had DCIS. I found out on the morning of my 29th birthday.

The next few weeks where a whirlwind of emotions. I immediately went in for a mammogram to see how much of the tissue was involved. The calcifications were so spread throughout the breast that my only option was mastectomy. 4 weeks after my diagnosis I attended my baby brother's wedding just 1 week later, 5 weeks after receiving the diagnosis, I had my mastectomy with a sentinel node biopsy and immediate reconstruction consisting of an expander and Alloderm. Alloderm is donated tissue which they placed on the underside of my breast to give it a more natural shape and feel. I'm amazed already by how natural it looks. All my pathology reports came back positive. They were able to get everything out and I won't need any further treatment. My mother was able to keep my children at her house for the 2 weeks after surgery, giving me some time to recuperate. That time helped me avoid some questions from a 4 year old daughter who doesn't understand anything more than that mommy had a boo boo and the doctors are helping her to get better. It also gave me time to physically heal so that when my 14 month old, still not walking son came home I could get him in and out of his crib, high chair and carseat. He finally started walking 1 month after my surgery. TOMORROW I'll have my exchange surgery and a reduction and lift on the other breast as well.

I have seen God's hand at work in every single aspect of this. I was only 28. There would have been no reason for me to get a mammogram, but God put that lump in my breast (which was ended up just being dense tissue and nothing else) so that the cancer could be caught. I was able to be a witness to my many doctors, nurses and techs throughout the experience who all commented on how upbeat I was about the whole thing. How could I be anything but. I had so many people praying for me that I was completely at peace about everything. It is only by God's grace and the love of my husband, children, family and friends that I continue to make it through each day with a positive outlook on life.