Rita Crawford-Jones

• My cancer journey is not that different from most stories I've already heard. For me it was a surreal moment when I learned that I had been diagnosed. I found a small lump in my left breast and told my doctor about it. He sent me to have an ultrasound because he felt I didn't need a mammogram. I had the ultrasound and they said it was just fatty tissue and there was no need to be alarmed. Since i had not reached age 40 they didn't feel the need to send me for a mammogram. A few months later I was sent for a mammogram and I received a letter saying I needed to see my doctor. I had lost my insurance coverage so I ignored the letter. One day I was getting dressed sitting on the bed. My daughter came in and said mom what's wrong with your breast? I knew the lump had increased in size but I still ignored it. I looked in the mirror and could see the difference in the way my breast looked and my daughter said I needed to go have it checked. I ignored it for another 2 to 3 months. I had a very bad cold and decided to go to the doctor because i thought I had strep throat. I found a community clinic to go to and while I was there I told the doctor about my breast. As he began to examine my breast I could tell that he could also see the difference in the way it looked. He said he was sending me for a biopsy. I had no idea how I would afford it with no insurance. They set me up for temporary insurance to pay for the service. I went for the test on November 15, 2012. They were testing the breast tissue and tissue from my lymph node. They told me to call them if I didn't hear from them the next day. I called and the doctor said the test from the breast tissue tested positive and they would have my results for the lymph node on Monday. That was the longest weekend of my life. I finally got the results that they to had tested positive and I needed to come in so they could discuss what was to happen next. I was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. I was set to see the Oncologist to discuss chemotherapy and how many treatments I had to have. I had 6 rounds of chemotherapy over a 7 month span to shrink the tumor before surgery. My last treatment was April 12, 2013. My surgery was set for April 24 the day after my birthday. I had an unilateral mastectomy to remove my left breast. I went back to work after my recovery and it was life as usual. I went in for a mammogram June 3, 2014. The doctor examine the left area where I had my surgery and didn't like what he saw. He did another biopsy and I was diagnosed for a second time. I was then set for another surgery to remove more tissue from that area. I also had to go for radiation treatment for 30 days after my surgery. That was June 23, 2014 and I am now cancer free. It's now been a little over a year that I had my last surgery and I go for my next check up in December. I am so grateful that I'm can share my story with others for encouragement and/or support. I didn't want to go into to much detail about my journey because I could go on and on about my experience and how it has given me a different outlook on life. I had a very good support system. My family and friends rallied around me as I went through each and every process to get where I am today, and I love them for that. I had the best experience with each doctor, nurse, lab tech and surgeon throughout this process and I thank GOD to have had such a great team of support.