Stepping into Someone Else's Shoes: Dealing with Breast Cancer

Breast cancer can be one of the most upsetting things that many women today have to face. Almost everyone knows someone who has dealt with the disease. But not everyone knows the difficulties that come with dealing with it first hand. I decided that I wanted to gain an understand of what breast cancer is really like from a victim's perspective, how it affects one's life and the lives around them, and how they overcome the challenges that come along with the breast cancer.

Breast cancer, a malignant tumor that starts in the cells of the breast, will affect about 214,990 women in the United States this year and about 40,110 women will die from it(American Cancer Society). Although breast cancer is usually found in women, men also get the disease. Breast cancer is the out-of-control growth and spread of abnormal cells in the breast. The cells come together and form tumors that destroy the body's normal tissue. The cancer can also spread to other organs of the body if the cancer cells reach the underarm lymph nodes through the lymph vessels. Lymph is a clear fluid that contains immune system cells and tissue waste products (American Cancer Society). The breast is made up of lobules, ducts, fatty and connective tissues, blood vessels, and lymph vessels. The lobules end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can produce milk. They are linked by ducts that lead to the nipple (Prucha). The spaces between the lobules and ducts are filled with fatty tissue. Not all tumors found in the breast are cancerous. Most tumors are benign, meaning non-cancerous, they are simply abnormal growths, and not all lumps are tumors. The breast can feel lumpy due to the fatty tissue and the milk-producing glands.

To get a better understanding of how it is to deal with breast cancer, I interviewed Barbara (name has been changed to keep the individual anonymous). I was not given her last name because she wanted to remain anonymous. Sitting in my dorm room at 8 o'clock one night, I called Barbara. I was quite nervous because I wasn't sure what questions I should ask and whether she'd be offended by them. When Barbara answered the phone, I was quite relieved to hear her friendly voice. She assured me that any question was fine and nothing would be too personal. Barbara and I had a long and very pleasant conversation. I asked many questions and learned a lot. Barbara is 40 years old. She is an 18-month survivor that is currently living in New York. She has one child, a 16-year old girl. Barbara first found out she had cancer following a baseline (meaning first) mammogram after her doctor had urged her to get one for quite some time. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast in which the breast is flattened between two plates to flatten and spread the tissue (American Cancer Society). Barbara found she had a stage one tumor. This early stage of breast cancer is when the tumor is less than two centimeters and it has yet to spread to the lymph nodes. She was very shocked because she had been to the hospital just recently for another surgery and thought doctors would have spotted it then. In order to treat the cancer, Barbara had to go through eight weeks of chemotherapy and radiation. Chemotherapy is where anticancer drugs are injected into a vein; radiation therapy is where high-energy rays are used to kill or shrink cancer cells. It is like getting a regular x-ray, but for a longer period of time (American Cancer Society). Since she was in such an early stage, she was able to keep all of her breast. Barbara continued to work throughout the whole process. She would work during the week and then have chemotherapy on Fridays so she could sleep and get some of her energy back over the weekend. She had chemo every Friday and her sister drove her to it. There was "always a card in my mailbox on Friday after chemo" and her mother would always call after her chemo to see how she was. Barbara had a very good support group to help her through everything. The treatments would make her sick and it made her hair fall out, but not enough that it was noticeable. She recalled getting a moon face and weird cravings. A moon face is when your face gets all puffy. Barbara said that she, "craved pickles and popsicles all the time." She also had to avoid spicy foods and stick to milder foods to avoid getting nauseous.

After learning about everything that Barbara went through, I was eager to learn how she got through it. Barbara told me she was able to get through the rough times with the support of her family and friends. Her mother was constantly concerned for her and her family would have a "gathering of wagons", as Barbara put it. All of her family would gather around her and help her with anything she needed. Her daughter was very helpful. She helped clean and cook and her husband took extra care to get things done for her. Barbara learned she couldn't be as much of a workaholic as she used to be. Though she still works, she has cut back a lot of time so she would have more time for herself. Like every cancer survivor, the one big fear Barbara still has is a reoccurrence. Her survival rate is 80%. Barbara has gotten through everything because she accepted it. She has "made peace with all of it." It has made her look at life from a different perspective and she has learned not to take life as seriously. Barbara taught me that cancer is not a death sentence. It is something that you can get through. Barbara said, "I don't get upset at little things; everything can be fixed if it's not fatal. Cancer changed my life, but it didn't change it for the worst. I wouldn't change what I've been through, but I also wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy."

Barbara's story has helped me to better understand breast cancer. I learned a lot more about how it is to live with breast cancer from her than I would have from any book. Though breast cancer is something that can be very difficult to deal with, a good support group can help anyone get through it. The one last piece of advice Barbara gave me in hopes I would inform others is that every woman needs to "get a mammogram!"

Works Cited

American Breast Cancer Foundation. May 2, 2003. 22 January 2004. http://www.abcf.org

American Cancer Society. October 2003. 20 January 2004. http://www.cancer.org

Barbara (last name unknown, and first name has been changed to keep her anonymous). Personal Interview. 27, January 2004

Prucha, Edward J., Karen Bellenir. Breast Cancer Sourcebook. Michigan Omnigraphics, 2001.