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Kristyna Partain
My life has been turned completely upside down in the past year. November 16th, 2009 will forever be most shockingly terrible day in my life. Actually November 1st, 2009 is---the day I first felt the lump. Even at the age of 19, when I felt the lump I knew something was not right with my body and almost immediately thought it was cancer, even though I knew statistically my chances were extremely low. I remember being very pessimistic about it and yet everyone and I mean everyone reassured me it was nothing! November 1st, 2009 I felt a lump and that weekend I started to worry, so the following Monday I called the University Physicians to make an appointment (my college’s clinic) they did not schedule me until November 16th (the date I was later diagnosed on) I worried the next couple of days and finally decided to just go to the walk in clinic because I was so concerned. I sat and waited for about an hour because at the time everyone in the city of Baltimore seemed to have "swine flu". I was examined by a resident at first, then an attending came in, they both suggested an ultrasound. There seemed to be no alarm in their voices---seriously how many 19 year olds are diagnosed with breast cancer? All I could think is "how am I going to fit this into my schedule?" Being a student made my free-time tremendously limited. Is it bad that I found cancer so inconvenient!?
So the following Monday I went to get my ultrasound, the doctor said I could wait 6 months and see what happens or since he could visibly see I was anxious he suggested a needle biopsy. Not that I "wanted" to get a biopsy, I just wanted to know what this lump was and not agonize. Thank goodness I was so persistent about getting the biopsy or who knows what my status would have been six months from then.
That following Friday I was running around town because I live in Baltimore for school, but I am from Annapolis, so I had to switch all of my paperwork. My best friend's mom works at the breast center at Anne Arundel Medical Center and I felt a lot more comfortable getting my biopsy there. When I showed her my ultrasounds she immediately knew I needed a biopsy. That same day my mother went with me for the procedure. Now that I have completed treatment and am looking back on my journey I must say that the biopsy was the hardest procedure to go through. I felt completely vulnerable during my bioscopy and waiting for the results wasn’t any easier.
Luckily I did not have to wait long of the results, I guess the pathologists were so shocked by my diagnosis, they contacted the breast center the following Monday. My diagnosis day was by far the most overwhelming day of my life. So many people and opinions and doctors and words you don't even understand being thrown at me. So there I was, 19 years old, a junior in college being diagnosed with breast cancer. Not fair! All I remember is wanting my boyfriend to be there. I pathetically called him before my official diagnosis; crying, worried, and anxious to get the actual news.
Unfortunately I was the youngest patient ever diagnosed with breast cancer at AAMC but since I was so young everyone was so great and supportive of me. This made my treatment quickly fall into place. The following Friday I went in for a lumpectomy on my right breast and sentinel node removal. Not only was I battling cancer, I was also trying to finish my semester up, the day before my surgery I took an exam, needless to say my life was a little crazy!
Once the surgery was performed the official diagnosis was given: Stage II Type A ductal carcinoma. This meant the cancer was Stage II due to the size (3.3cm) and Type A due to no sentinel node involvement! This was great news!
After my surgery I also met with a fertility specialist to "harvest my eggs". ...10 mature eggs and 9 immature eggs waiting in a freezer....until I am ACTUALLY old enough to have a baby. We planned this treatment because we are not sure if chemotherapy will affect my fertility. Only time will tell!
Following the fertility treatments I rang in the New Year (2010) with chemotherapy. I finished 8 cycles of ACT, all while staying in school. After the semester ended I completed 33 cycles of radiation therapy ending in the summer. And I am currently on Tamoxifen and plan to continue hormone treatment for the next five years, unfortunately.
Cancer has truly challenged me but now that I have completed treatment I look back and see how much I have grown since my diagnoses. So many opportunities and wonderful people have come my way because of the unfortunate situation. And I can honestly say I am grateful for the new experiences and stronger relationships I now have. I never let cancer get me down. I had cancer but I NEVER let it define me and I never will.
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