‘ I AM GOING TO CONTINUE LIVING AND TRAVELING’
Editor’s note: October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the Chicago Sun- Times invited breast cancer survivors to share their stories. We’ll share them throughout the month here and at suntimes. com.
Iam a 77- year- old Nana of eight delightful grandchildren and great- grandmom of six more children. In March I learned I had a problem inmy left breast. The lump was stage 0 to 1 cancer. On May 28, I had surgery to have this lump removed.
My surgeon, Dr. Ken Richards at Mercy Hospital, stated this lump was completely removed and there was no lymph node involved. He informed me this would not be the cause of me leaving this earth at an early date. I was encouraged to have six and a half weeks of radiation, which I completed in September.
I am an avid traveler; I continue to travel as often as I can. In August I spent five gorgeous days in sunny San Diego sightseeing with family and friends. Most recently I spent nine wonderful days in Reno, Nevada, visiting with my only daughter, her husband and their children.
My daughter took me to all the places she knows I enjoy: a show, the casino and shopping. It was a most enjoyable trip.
I do have some discomfort from time to time, but I am learning to live with this discomfort and continue to do the things I enjoy. I feel I’m doing quite well for my age. I am going to continue living and traveling as often as I can.
This is my survivor story.