Breast Cancer, Mantle Cell Lymphoma, You Made it Through!

I hope that this finds any and all of you that have been part of a loved one's survival from cancer. I am not a direct survivor of any cancer, but someone very close to is. This is a dedication to her strength and courage over the last 20 years. She is has been through more than most of us could possibly comprehend. The following will be a brief overview of the ruff and tumultuous road she has had to endure.

Our family was informed that mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and it was already in stage III. This meant that the only option to proactively remove the cancer at that time was with a mastectomy, which is the removal of the breast and in her case the lymph nodes as well. Chemotherapy was not a viable option due to the severity of the cancer. After the surgery and therapy she was fitted with a special bra and gain her health back.

Approximately 4 years later she was diagnosed with breast cancer again in her remaining breast. The same deal this time a mastectomy was performed and it went as good as can be expected and due to her strength and willingness to fight through this again she is still with us today.

Making through the previous two bouts with cancer you would should be enough for an individual to have to take, but after almost 10 years and no signs of any cancer it was back again. It was Thanksgiving and she thought she had the flu. I said, "no you are kind of gray and you need to see the doctor." That didn't go as planned and it was left alone until Christmas 2 years ago. She still was not feel well and I suggested she see the doctor and she agreed. A week later we got together and she informed us that she had mantle cell lymphoma. Look this up it is very rare. She was give a low chance of survival. The only way to combat the cancer was through chemotherapy and it was very aggressive. After over six months of chemo and platelet transfusions and changes in diet she is in a remission state.

Each month she has her blood work done to make sure the medication she is required to help monitor and stabilize the cancer is doing it's job. So far she is doing great, some days better than others, but what is important is she survived and she is over 74 years old. So if you think cancer is a death sentence, think again, get treatment, get educated and if you and your family members have strong attitudes of survival you will do just that, survive.