Rachael

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Diagnosis

I'm a 35 year old mama of 2 rambunctious boys and I'm a breast cancer survivor! I knew for a long time that the BRCA1 gene ran in my extended family. I was too scared to get tested. My grandma died of breast and ovarian cancer. Many of my aunts and cousins tested positive for the gene and some even had cancer. Finally when I knew I was done having kids, I decided to have the genetic testing done. As I expected  it came back positive. At that point, the docs recommended a bilateral mastectomy and a complete hysterectomy/oophorectomy. Strictly as a preventative measure they ordered a bunch of tests, including an MRI and a mammogram. That's how they found my tumor. It was buried deep in my right breast. Even after I knew it was there, I still couldn't feel it. Then my mastectomy became much more urgent. I had my surgery on October 24, 2016 in Lansing, MI. They said it was stage 1 and the tumor was 18mm (like the size of a penny). The recovery was horribly painful afterwards. I wasn't expecting that. But the worst part was the drainage tubes. They call them JP drains and there were 4 of them physically stitched into my skin. I had them in for 2 weeks. It was a long, uncomfortable 2 weeks. I ended up being off from work for 7 weeks. I am so fortunate to have such a great support network. My mom stayed with me on and off for the first 2 weeks. Many families at church brought meals over, popped over to visit, sent cards, and prayed with me. It was such a blessing! I had friends who checked in regularly just to make sure I wasn't lonely. I found a service to come clean my house once a month, since it was so hard for me to do. I met with the oncologist who informed me that due to the size of my tumor, I was going to require chemo therapy. I was crushed! The words "chemo therapy" made the cancer diagnosis so much more real than it had been. That was the first time I cried. And I cried a lot. I had beautiful blonde hair and I didn't want to lose it. I lost my hair a week before Christmas. It wasn't as bad as I thought. The day it started falling out in chunks, I called a girlfriend to come over and help me buzz it all off. It was kind of liberating! I thought I'd be a hot mess, but I didn't cry at all. My hubby kept my kids entertained during the whole process and I was nervous how they'd react, but they both thought it was cool and wanted to touch my bald head. I got a wig. It's blonde like my real hair was. I don't wear it much though. Walking around bald, or with a scarf is such a good conversation starter. Kids ask me why I don't have hair and I can tell them that I take medicine that made my hair fall out. It also starts a lot of conversations with women about breast cancer prevention and detection. A lot of women want to see my scars and have questions about the process. And I'm happy to answer the best I can. I make a lot of bald jokes about myself and try to keep a good attitude and sense of humor. I think it makes me more approachable and ultimately makes people more comfortable talking to me about breast cancer. My next step is to finish up chemo therapy on March 27, 2017 and the schedule reconstructive surgery for later this summer. I still have to schedule my hysterectomy and oophorectomy. My OB/GYN and I have a plan in place to monitor me and have the surgery some time in the next 5 years before I turn 40.

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My crown experience

The day of my crowning was the last time I wore a head cover.  After seeing the beautiful masterpiece they created on my bald head, I knew I didn't need to hide under a scarf or wig any more.

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Where I am today

I had my first reconstructive surgery in August 2017.  I may need 1 more surgery, we will see.  6 weeks after surgery, I'm finally starting to feel better again.  My hair started growing shortly after getting crowned.  It's just over an inch long and it's kind of curly.