Andrea Kimalat

The story starts in the most mundane way. During my annual exam with a nurse practitioner, a small lump was found in my right breast to palpation. She thought it was likely a cyst but, to be safe, sent me for an ultrasound and mammogram. The ultrasound was also not totally clear so the radiologist recommended a needle biopsy. 24 hours later, the call came with the cancer diagnosis. The next 48 hours were an absolute nightmare of anxiety and fear of the unknown but after an appointment with the cancer surgeon and the oncologist, some questions were answered and the cloud of fear began to lift.