In August of 1998, I happened to drop a bottle of shampoo while in the shower. When I bent down to pick it up, my arm brushed against the “7 o’clock” position of my breast and felt a lump. I immediately touched it with my hand, then frantically checked my right breast to see if it had a similar bump in it. No such luck. I already had my GYN exam scheduled so within 3 days I was at my doctor’s office. I’d had a mammogram 6 months earlier which showed nothing. All I knew was that there was something that felt to my finger like a mangled, chewed-up piece of gum, and even though I tried telling myself it was nothing, I wasn’t buying it. My doctor tried to aspirate it but all he got was blood and I felt the next stab of fear. He told me it …

Hi, I’m a fan & ‘faithful reader’ since discovering your site! I’m 54 & was diagnosed with stage II FBC 03/2010. 2 lumpectomies. Had 4 rounds of A/C, 12 of Taxol (ended October 2010) & 6 weeks of radiation (ended 01/2011). Experienced nearly every side effect known to medicine… lost hair & fingernails, red scaly rash all over, blood clot, extreme fatigue. While I didn’t experience the mouth sores, I did develop a similar problem at the other end – which at one point was treated with a nitroglycerin ointment (giving a whole new meaning to “blow it our your…”). Neuropathy in feet & loss of sense of smell persist & the occasional fog of brain. It was not a fun ride. Shortly after my 1st chemo treatment, I started complaining of shoulder/back/neck pain – “like someone standing on my shoulders” – I must have said this several dozen times. …

  Dearest Hollye, I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in February, 1999 while living in Dallas, TX. I had just had a mammogram the week before which normal. While I was taking a shower I found a lump in my left breast at 12:00. I underwent a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. Today, I am cancer free 13 years later. Please remind every one to remember to do a manual exam every time they take a shower. God Bless you, dear. You’re amazing to share so much with so many. Catherine Moran Santa Rosa, CA

This is not a submission as much as a ‘thank you’. I was diagnosed April 25, 2012 with DCIS and have had surgery, just started chemo, and found a lot of distressing information online. I put myself on a moratorium of looking for answers on a search engine, but am grateful I stumbled across your blog today. I have spent the last 2 hours reading, crying, laughing, and hopeful at your story. Your photo radiates joy, life and genuineness, and so do your words. To say you are inspiring is an understatement. Thank you for creating a place of positivity, a place of hope for those like me who are just opening the door to this long journey and are filled with unanswered questions, well-meaning misdirection by those not on the same road, and let’s face it – unbridled fear. I would say finding your blog was a Silver Lining …

I am a two time breast cancer survivor who continues to experience many silver linings despite being in a second round of treatments. Your site is very inspiring and thank you for so many beautiful ideas! I just came upon it today and was reading quite a lot. I would like to comment on breast reconstruction and the usefulness of MRI in examining reconstructed breasts. My story of recurrence is alarming in that the same cancer came back 11 years later under an implant. I had undergone mod radical mastectomy of the left breast with saline implant, AC and T chemotherapy 11 yrs ago at age 47…. Invasive Lobular cancer, her2 +, ER+, 3 nodes positive. I had yearly mammography of remaining breast and did monthly self exams. No doctor ever mentioned examining the reconstructed breast. There was no palpable lump. I requested an MRI last year because this test …

From stage 3 breast cancer………to Wilhelmina semi-finalist in the model face 0f2012 Breast cancer and brain cancer pushed me to the edge…….but I’m pushing back. Please take a few minutes and vote for me……..share it with all your friends…..and vote again tomorrow. I love and appreciate all your support. Thank you so much. What a difference a year makes! http://30plus.wilhelminamodelsearch.com/michele-t.html

I’m a two-time cancer survivor, who was like most when I heard the news, “a death sentence”. I found out later, it was truly “an awakening” for me. I did begin asking questions, to what had I done so bad in life to have this placed upon me. But instead of bemoaning my fate, I decided to look for the positive side of it all. I also realized that I was about to face a new beginning, new hope, do and see more with a whole new prospective on life. Even with all the complications I now have to live with, and all the struggles I’ve dealt with all my life, “I’m sill living”. Who am I to complain? During my collisions with cancer (breast/colon), writing became therapy for me. All that I had to endure, gave me the strength and encouragement to write down my thoughts and I placed …

My story is simply a complicated mess. I am an LPN and I started my own little blog, I do not post nearly as often as I should but it is call BreastCancerandMurphysLaw, Google has picked it up. I guess the main reason I started a blog was so no one should ever go through what I did. Being a nurse, obviously I do not have the credentials that you have but still, a nurse. Last December I went in and had my yearly mammogram, I was diagnosed with fibricystic breasts around 1985. A week later I got the call from the clinic, the voice said that they had found a suspicious area in my left breast but could not get me back in for diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound for 2 weeks. Ok probably just a shadow or tissue that had folded over. I went in, had the repeat mammogram …