Gracie Go-Bicol

Cancer - I remember watching tv shows when I was little and when the character gets cancer - its like a death sentence. Now, I hear so many stories of hope, of people going through it and surviving. Then on May 29th, I get some news that has got to do with my mortality. “The tests came out positive, you have breast cancer” It was like I was punched in the stomach. I sat down, called Luis, told him I have an appointment with the doctor that afternoon, and that I have cancer. I BROKE DOWN. All I can think of is - How about my kids. They are so little. Why did this happen to me? 




We went to see the doctor that afternoon. Then we spoke about the diagnosis, the plan but no prognosis. 




It’s possibly stage 2 or 3 - (it is in the lymph node on the axilla) ER+ PR+ and FISH results pending. 

It’s also a Grade 2 which means its intermediate (3 meaning very aggressive and 1 meaning not aggressive)




The plan is chemo, then surgery - i chose double mastectomy, and the radiation and possibly down the line, DIEP Flap reconstruction.


Then it was several weeks of none stop appointments with the Oncologist, Radiologist and Genetics. 




I opted to get tested for the Gene mutation to know if I will need a Hysterectomy or an Oophorectomy eventually.




The port was put in and I finally started chemo on June 12th 2018. It was horrible for the first 3 days but i started feeling like myself again on the 5th day.




This begins my cancer journey.