Letisha Wallace

Survivor

My journey began when I found a lump in my left breast in October 2015. I went for mammogram (which did not even show my lump due to dense breast) they preceded to do an ultrasound then a biopsy. After waiting what seemed like months I got my results benign! I was so happy and releaved or I thought so…. As more time went by I couldn’t let go of this feeling I was having the feeling I had the first time I felt the lump… My gut kept telling me it was cancer. 

I finally made an appointment and voiced my concern that I didn’t feel good about the biopsy results. Then I was scheduled for another mammogram and ultrasound to see if there had been a change since my last ones two months prior. They decided it would be best to have lump removed to be safe. I had a lumpectomy the end of the week 12/7/2015. After another long… Wait I finally got the results IT WAS CANCER!!!! I can’t even explain how devasted or all the emotions I was feeling. Supposedly since I had dense breast and the cancer was like a spider Webb they had missed it when the biopsy was done. 

Thank god I listened to my inner self or the outcome would not have been good by the next mammogram. With family history of breast cancer mom and sister, aunt and two cousins and other info the decision was clear to me and my (new doctor) that I needed a masectomy. On 2/7/2016 I had my second surgery bilateral masectomy with expanders put in for reconstruction. My cancer was stage 1 and was not in my lymp nodes. It has been very hard physically and emotionally. I attend church regularly, do a lot of praying and have the best family (sisters) who have been with me every step of the way. This has given me the strength to be stronger than I ever thought possible. My third surgery scheduled for 6/17/2016 for my expanders to be removed and permanent implants put in and at least 2 more surgeries later on. Listen to your gut, demand ultrasound if you have dense breast. I’m still positive keeping faith and praying everyday. I’m a survivor!