Karen Lynch: My Survivor Story (Part III of III)
(If you’re just tuning in … you might want to start with Part I and Part II of my story before reading on.)
Slowly but surely I adjusted to my new body (my nipple-less, scarred boobs, my hip-to-hip healing incision and my abdomen made of mesh) and my new life as a two time survivor. Then, in August of 2006, my mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Suddenly, I had a family history that needed to be noted; our situation was proof to me and my doctors that not all the genetic links that cause a predisposition towards breast cancer have been identified. (FYI, my mother was blessed with a fairly early diagnosis in the world of ovarian cancer. Stage IIc. God willing her cancer won’t recur.)
I found out that with that diagnoses, I was at great risk for gynecological cancers. I had to meet with a new doctor, a gynecological oncologist, to discuss that risk. His strong conviction was that I should remove my ovaries, my uterus and my cervix as soon as possible. My medical oncologist agreed. My breast surgeon agreed. So … I agreed.
Of course, with an abdomen made of mesh, that surgery wasn’t going to be easy. My new gynecological oncologist had to work with my plastic surgeon and cut through the mesh from my previous reconstruction effort, remove the organs now threatened with cancer, then put me back together. I felt like a scarecrow who was losing his straw — and in great jeopardy of falling apart at the seams!
I recovered from that surgery before my mother finished up her final chemotherapy treatment. We ended 2006 with a warm and wonderful New Year’s celebration. A celebration of hope for the upcoming year and both of our futures.
Two years ago, almost to the day, I became a two-time breast cancer survivor. Later that year, I started blogging about breast cancer. Today, I am proud to be writing the Pink Ribbon Review.
(Image: Karen Lynch)
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3 opinions for Karen Lynch: My Survivor Story (Part III of III)
Maria D.
Aug 5, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Wow, Karen. You are truly an inspiration. I had a DCIS dx 10 1/2 years ago. Cancer free since. I started reading your blog and love it. Thanks for all that you do. Have you ever done a breast cancer marathon walk? I just did the 40-mile AVON one in Boston and it was incredible. Really one of the coolest things I have ever done. Amazing people. Lots and lots of pink!
Keep up the great blogs!
Karen Lynch
Aug 5, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Maria, thank you so much. I’m glad you found me! ;)
I’ve never done a marathon walk … just haven’t sorted out how to manage that while my children are so young. I’ve done the Making Strides walk every year since 2003, however, and do love that.
Someday … maybe The Pink Ribbon Review will have its own team and we’ll all camp out together!
Kathi K.
Aug 30, 2008 at 4:53 am
Good golly, Karen…what a story. I’m going through treatment for DCIS right now. Just had a lumpectomy 2 weeks ago. Next week, I get mapped & tattooed for radiation. Oh, sistah, I can really relate. I had one great-aunt with breast CA in her 70’s & an aunt who, like your mom, amazingly survived ovarian CA. That’s it. And like you, nothing palpable. Just calcifications on a routine screening mammogram. The stats on recurrence that I just got from my radiation oncologist have given me insomnia, which is why I’m awake at this hour writing to you!!
I’ve added a personal mini-blog to my website to keep my friends & colleagues abreast (couldn’t resist the pun…) of how I’m doing & to get some info out there. My friends have been sharing the link & I’ve been very gratified by how many hits it’s gotten. I work in healthcare myself & one thing I’m trying to include on my own blog is information on free mammograms & cancer screening & other financial assistance, since so many people in this country still have no insurance or lousy insurance. I’m also putting a link to your blog on mine. (If you’d rather I remove it, just let me know. Some sites & blogs are very cautious about that.)
You’ve done a phenomenal job so far. Keep it up & thanks.
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