When I was diagnosed with Stage 2 TNBC, my entire world came to a halt. I was just 29 years old, a wife, and a mother, working as an ICU RN, and had just started my own business. As every thriver would say, I didn’t have time for cancer!
Endless doctor’s appointments, chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, scans, labs, medication; the list goes on. I thought to myself, “Why me? Why is this happening to me?!” I was young, I had no other illnesses, no family history, AND I was in the best shape of my life. I was exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating healthy. I did everything “right.”
The truth is cancer doesn’t care. Cancer doesn’t care how healthy you are, how kind you are, or how busy you are. It can strike you at any moment. Cancer is a jerk! For that reason, I knew I had to show cancer who’s boss! I had to reach deep within my soul and learn to depend on my faith and my strength to get me through this battle I was up against. So, that’s exactly what I did.
I remember the radiologist who did my initial scan told me, “Women who tend to do the best with this, are the ones who have a good attitude.”
I also had a good friend and fellow survivor tell me, “Whatever you do, keep your mind where it needs to be to fight this battle.”
Those words stick with me to this day because I found them to be very true. Where the mind wanders, the body will follow. Because of my faith and resilience, after 16 rounds of chemo, a lumpectomy, 21 rounds of radiation, and being on immunotherapy for a year, I stand now as a 2-year breast cancer survivor!
