Everyone is terrified of those three little words, "you have cancer." I went thru this in June of 2014. The worse part of it was I had decided to return to nursing. I had raised my children, I was an empty-nester so why not? I had kept up with all the CEU's, the certifications like ACLS, Basic Life Support so it wasn't a big deal, right?
Armed in my left hand were all the papers needed to be an active RN again. But in my right had was the remote control. Unfortunately, the remote changed my life forever.
I turned the TV to our local affiliate which runs a breast cancer awareness program. It's called "Buddy Check Day." The idea behind it is to call your buddy on the tent of every month and tell them to do their monthly breast exam. I didn't have a buddy but thought "what the hell...I can play with my tatas a second. What happened later devastated me.
I discovered a lump in my right breast and went to the doctor only to discover I was in stage 3 breast cancer with lymph node involvement. 5 of the 6 axillary lymph nodes were positive for cancer and I was heart broken.
Nobody in my family had cancer. The most we ever had was hypertension or anxiety. I had to set a record and go for the "Big-C."
What I didn't know was that the American Cancer Society sends you boxes and boxes of reading materials, stuffed hearts to keep your breasts from chaffing when using your seatbelt and a bunch of numbers that unfortunately are out of date.
I also didn't know how repelling a diagnosis of breast cancer is. Most of my "friends" ha better things to do that hang around with me...it was as if they thought breast cancer was contagious. My favorite reason given for no longer being around me was "I jus can't take the sight of how much pain you're and all the chemo and radiation you'll have to endure." Some friend, right?
I decided to have the radical double mastectomy. No sense in having only one breast. Take them both! It was no big del for me even though I had sported 38DD's my entire adult life. Oh well, it was either them or me! Snip! Snip!!
The chemotherapy was a lot worse because I went thru it all alone at approximately 3:15a.m. with no one around to style my newly bald head and wipe away my tears. But I got through it. Stiff upper lip and all that. I had hats, wigs and scarves at the ready so no one saw me as "Cue Ball." I can be blone, brunette or a redhead depending on my mood and luckily---I look pretty good as each though I'm partial to my long blond wigs.
I also have a beautiful set of boobies that are as real as the ones I lost. May no mistake, cancer treatment is hell. I have to take a hormone for the next ten years before I can be classified as "cured" and I plan to live each one of those ten years until God takes me Home.
Some treatments are harsh and some usually male oncologists are even harsher. While it's a job to some, it is another person's life work who take it upon themselves to practice the most sincere form of empathy. I thank God for each of them. They made it worth going through...as if I had choice.
I still have a while to go and a few more small mountains to climb but I'll be one of the millions of BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS in the world. JOYOUS LORD!!
Any questions or if you just want a new friend write me at
Dyane Lody
220 Monday Rd
Suite 6
Corryton, TN 37721
I hope to eventually use this blog as a question/answer forum with nothing off limits!
Praise God
Dyane Lody
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