Personal Narrative: Breast Cancer Has Changed My Life

It is January of 2005, and I am on my way to Columbus for my first chemotherapy. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in October of last year. My two sons, Jeff and Jason are coming along with me. Jeff is driving, Jason is in the passenger seat and I 'm in the back seat of Jeff’s 2002 GMC Envoy. I glance out the window and watch as we pass the Shoe. It was chilly and the winds were powerful on this winter day, snow was covering the trees and the ground, it was a beautiful sight of a winter wonderland. We are on our way to the James Center, where I 'm receiving my treatment.

Prologue I sat in the waiting room, head in my hands, expecting the worst. My little sister was sitting next to me, playing with her barbie doll. It seemed as if she was completely unaware that we were sitting in this room because she may have cancer. And maybe she didn’t. Maybe my mom hadn’t told her.

The day I had knee surgery. On February 14th my mother woke me up with a smile on her face to lighten the mood a little, because the next morning would be the day that I would have my first surgery ever. I was really clam in the morning like any other day. It really didn 't hit me that I would have surgery

On September 24, 2013, my mother was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. I was only a freshman in high school and I was completely and utterly devastated. Through her journey of countless surgeries, chemo and radiation treatments, and heartbreak, my burning passion of becoming a doctor has continued to grow. I will be honest, I once was the student who earned all A 's and one or two B 's, and although I always cared for my grades, I never put in as much effort as I could have given. Stage 3 breast cancer took numerous things away from the strong woman who raised me, but when I received the news that she would be okay, I gained a great amount of determination and commitment. The passion I have for pursuing an outstanding education at the

I too understand and can identify with what Klein stated regarding personal connections. My giving to the breast cancer was also a walk-a-thon. We were also offered jerseys as a group, which was participating as part of a huge breast cancer walk event, that takes place annually. I was happy to donate to such a cause, but unfortunately, I was not able to actually walk at the time of the event. The important thing was giving as much as I can afford to, and knowing that my portion can make a significant different tin the life of someone.

I was nine years old when a strange lump formed on my left foot. I got it checked out and it turned out that it was a tumor. A tumor is a form of cancer. The real name for it was way too long for me to remember. The tumor was extremely sensitive I barely tapped it on a chair leg at Nick dennises house and my whole foot turned black and blue. I could hardly walk on it after I hit it on that chair leg. The tumor was roughly about the size of a half dollar. The doctors were wondering if they were going to do chemo or not. it was a two sided argument. there was an american doctor and an indian doctor. The indian doctor wanted to do chemo .The american doctor wanted to just do surgery. In the end the american doctor won the argument.

In the spring of 2013, my mother informed my family and I that she had been recently diagnosed with breast cancer. I vividly remember the tone in my mother’s voice, with such clarity and dismay. She continued to discuss how her doctors had found a lump on her breast; but all that my mind could register was the word “cancer.” Luckily for me, I have never truly experienced a death or serious illness in my family, but this was the first sense of enormity that I have ever encountered. The image of the tears swelled in my mother's eyes stays clear still to this day, captivating the moment that had changed my life.

I was pulled underwater by the strong current, holding my breathe for as long as I could while I waited for the right time to swim back to the surface. My board kept me aware of where I was because I was completely disoriented by the wave that had just hit me.I was fearing for my life, hoping that one of my friends who I was surfing with would come and help me back up. I was struggling to not be sucked deeper by the oceans current and was trying to get back to the surface. Going through my head was the idea that one of my friends would come help me, but they were too far away from me to help. My board helped me get back to the surface and regain my awareness for where I was. I swam back to the surface and my friends were frantically trying to get to me, but I was okay. I kept calm and let the ocean deal with me until I could get back to the surface.

When I was twelve a six letter word with such definition tore my world apart. I didn’t know what to do at that moment, I didn’t know how to react to the dreadful news. And to my surprise, it started with one phone call, a phone call that simply changed who I am, but not just who I am, but how I view the world. I never thought it can happen to me or my family, I thought we were free from such an intrusive disease. However, I was wrong, way wrong. The six-letter word named cancer took many lives; particularly, a close loved one of mine, my grandfather.

This changed my life because on one hand it reminded me of how easily life can be taken away, but on the other hand it showed me how true miracles work. Another one was this summer when I traveled to Europe for three weeks. It was the most incredible experience! It opened my eyes to new cultures and new ways of thinking. My most recent event would definitely be college.

August 29, 2006 will always stick out in my life. For the first time I had to deal with something that had plagued me my whole life, anxiety. Day after day walking into school I would be crying with my mom in the school office worried about everything. I would get nervous and anxious about tests, friends, and teachers everything played a role. It wasn 't until a year later that I would be diagnosed with general anxiety disorder.

I’ve heard of it. Heartrending, sentimental stories of how a mere toddler had pulled through and lived, the radiation therapy making them appear twice their age and how they cried in relief when they heard that it had finally worked. The posters pinned hurriedly on public bulletin boards in empty supermarkets displaying an outdated picture and their story, underneath a jar with a ten dollar bill and a few coins. I knew what it was — my friend’s mother was diagnosed with it when I was in fourth grade and ultimately, it killed her two years later.

experience was challenging especially on Wednesday because I was made to look like a lazy person which I am not. But I had a great time on Thursday because of my awesome clinical instructor who gave me words of encouragement and checked on me frequently. Not forgetting my exceptionally good preceptor, she taught me a lot and allowed me to do all the patient care as she observed. The day ended up great with exception of having to break the news to the family of my patient that, she the patient need to be placed on hospice. It was an emotional time for both us (the care team) and the family because, the family was not ready to make the decision. As a member of the care team, I felt the patient was in pain the treatment is not helping because

Driving Ninety mile per hour trying to get to clinicals as fast as I could, my mind was racing just as fast. How could I forget the time of my first clinical? I have never been late to clinicals! And of course I will now get a clinical unsatisfactory, and I just blew my chance at extra credit opportunities for the whole semester? What was I thinking? What a bad first impression! My clinical instructor is going to hate me! Has I’m thinking and time is not waiting, I finally arrived at Cumberland Hall and I remember think “Justice, just don’t cry!” Walking to meet my clinical instructor, the emotions that I have been weighing on my shoulders from the beginning of the week and now being late I could no longer control and tears immediately fell.

I HAVE LIVED MY LIFE THINKING THAT THE WAY I LIVE WAS NORMAL. I wake up at 7:00, do my homework once I come back from school, do my after-school activity homework, and sleep at 12:00 A.M. to 1:00 A.M. I repeat that every weekday. I had no choice but to think that what I do was what everyone else did. I was wrong.