Gail's Story: Combatting Fear of Recurrence 10 Years Out
Gail Dudlicek is a Breastcancer.org Community member in Sun City, Arizona, USA.
My breast cancer was found during a routine mammogram. I didn't have a lump. I didn't notice anything "different." I went in like I always did for the annual mammogram. I knew something was up when the technician told me to hang on for a minute. She came back and said she wanted to get a closer exam on my right breast. So she did the second set of imaging. And then I went home.
I got a call a couple of days later from my primary care doctor that he was sending me to a surgeon for a consultation. Here's a little back story: I have had three different lumps removed from my breasts. All were lipomas and nothing to worry about. Two of them had been removed by the surgeon that I was going to see.
My surgeon wanted to do a stereotactical biopsy. Fine. Just don't let anyone tell you that they don't hurt. They DO! And 48 hours later, on my husband's 49th birthday, I was formally diagnosed with breast cancer — DCIS. Very small and noninvasive. Still that big C word. My lumpectomy was scheduled for late August; it took a while but they got all clean margins. I then started radiation treatments in late October and ended just after my 50th birthday in November. Luckily, I did not need chemotherapy nor did I have to take tamoxifen after my radiation treatments.
I know this all sounds so easy and "small." But my big fear came at every mammogram to follow for the next 5 years: that there would be a recurrence. But I am blessed to say that I am 10 years cancer free! I could not have gone through this without my husband, family and friends cheering me on and encouraging me every step of the way.
