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Mary Waby
I had clean mammograms for more than 20 years, and I scheduled them annually without fail since I’d had an infection in my left breast in my early thirties. When I found a lump on the right side in August 2008, I thought perhaps it was a cyst. I’d had a clean mammogram in February, but I went to the doctor the next day anyway.
Over the next two weeks I had a sonogram, another mammogram, and a biopsy. I met with Dr. Lauren Schnaper when the lump was diagnosed as stage II breast cancer. I had two surgeries because the margins were not clean after the first lumpectomy, but I already had a work trip planned to Spain so the second surgery had to wait.
Once healed, I started my chemotherapy, which was later followed by radiation therapy. Between the first and second chemotherapy sessions, I had another work trip planned to the Caribbean. It was so much fun, and I went zip-lining for the very first time.
I was extremely lucky throughout my treatments, because I never got sick once. I did not miss any work except for the surgeries and one week that I took off between the chemo and radiation. My place of work was very supportive, and the people there made it easy for me to continue working. They provided a break for me between the chemo treatments and radiation with a work trip to the Caribbean.
Because I am single, support was very important to me. Keeping my life “normal” and full of human contact every day was very helpful. My family lives all over the country, but my cats and my friends really came through for me each and every day.
I have finished all treatment, and it’s hard to believe that it has been a full year since I started this journey. I don’t see myself as a survivor, but rather as someone who had a challenge and met it head on with all the resources at her disposal. My positive outlook has guided me throughout my life, and I feel it made a significant difference when I dealt with this challenge.
I am thankful every day for my family, friends, work, and the great team at GBMC. I remind myself every day that it is a privilege to live in a country where so many things are possible.
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