My story...I came to this site 4 years ago scared out of my mind. I had a lumpectomy with clear margins and no node involvement. I was diagnosed with medullary breast cancer and the prognosis is very good on that type of cancer. The tumor was large and filled with white blood cells and according to history it is known not to spread... but so far only seen in three to five percent of women. Every oncologist was still recommending chemotherapy. For the life of me I could not understand why. My intention was to refuse the treatment. There was another lady on this site by the name of Kelly. Kelly told me that her situation was simular... and she refused radiation. She felt chemo was enough. Long story short, by the time I meant Kelli on this site..... she was here with a recurrence. Not only did it come back it came back with a vengeance. I stayed up until about 3 or 4 in the morning communicating with Kelly on this site the day before my chemo was to start. Kelly's advice to me was to take all treatments while they were an option and not a requirement to save my life. I will never forget her for that. She's no longer with us and she was very young... in her early forties if I remember correctly. I took the chemo and actually went back and had both breast removed. I don't know what the future holds but I feel good knowing that I did everything possible to keep the cancer from coming back. Definitely do not judge your treatment plan by what other women have done. Cancer is very unpredictable and they may be doing okay today but someday wish they had taken through radiation. Or they could live to be 110 and go peacfully of old age. No one knows.
You will feel better once you here your options and then with what you have peace about. Treatment is very doable. It's not the horror stories of the past.
Blessings to you!
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