I was
diagnosed with breast cancer on
December 26, 2018. I had just turned 36 and my year had already been rough.
After having to leave my hometown, losing a relationship of five years and
moving to Dallas all on my own, I had finally found my groove.
I was
in great shape, had made wonderful friends and was — finally — leaving all my
past behind and enjoying the present. Until, of course, December 26th…
I was a
perfectly healthy woman and yet, I was not really healthy at all. It was hard
for me to understand. How is this happening to me?
I was
in Puerto Rico enjoying some family time but didn’t want to ruin everyone’s
Christmas holiday by telling them I had cancer. Better go back to Dallas and
get all the details before I make any moves. I went into my appointment with
Dr. Joanne Blum with my best friend Julie and even bought myself a new outfit.
Whatever the diagnosis, this cancer was not bringing me down — of that I was
certain.
Whatever
the diagnosis, this cancer was not bringing me down — of that I was certain.
Dr.
Blum patiently explained our treatment plan, including six months of
chemotherapy with four different types of medication and a mastectomy
afterwards. She said my tumor was not going to disappear but that it could
shrink and that was the purpose of the treatment.
She
also told me my cancer was likely genetic, which is why I was not of the
“normal age” for breast cancer. I said, “Genetic? What does that even mean?”
If
indeed my cancer was genetic, I would need a double mastectomy but Dr. Blum
said we would talk about that when we got there. One step at a time.
It was
a lot of information and many life-changing decisions to make, but I needed to
start the treatment as soon as possible! Dr. Blum told me my tumor was
aggressive and growing fast. I thought, of course I’m not getting a nice tumor.
I’m getting a mean one.
That
night, I got all dressed up and went out with my friends to celebrate and
welcome 2019, whatever it may bring! I thought to myself, well, whatever is
going to happen is not happening today. And today, I am claiming that I shall
have a long and happy life.
Bring it on, chemotherapy!
There
was so much to do in such little time. My hair was going to fall out — what was
I going to do about that? I mean, who wants to be bald? So, I researched wigs
and scarves and thanks to YouTube, I know how to wrap a scarf in more than five
ways. I know that bamboo fabric is a great choice for cancer patients because
it breathes and avoids infections. I also discovered that jersey is the easiest
fabric to wrap.
I
started chemo on February 8th. I also signed up for a spin class at 6 a.m. that
very day. If I could take this, I can do anything.
After
visiting a geneticist, the results showed that my cancer was indeed genetic. I
had the BRCA2 genetic mutation. My mother was a carrier but since she had
fortunately never been affected, I had no clue I was under such risk. Having
BRCA2 meant that I was not only susceptible to breast cancer but also ovarian
cancer, melanoma and pancreatic cancer. Well, I did always feel like I was
special! I just didn’t know I was that special.
Fueling my positive energy to fight
I am
and have always been a human of high energy. The adjustment from having energy
all the time to not having it was, let’s say, a challenge.
Therefore,
I needed to find a way to thrive through this. I had to find a way of not
losing myself through this process. I had to take chemo every two Fridays for
the first two months and then every Friday for the next four.
I
decided to buy a flip chart and write inspirational notes and hang them all
over my room, so the first thing I would see every morning would be, “Good
morning, cancer-free Elvira! Today is a great day.” I also decided that I would
look like a rock star every Friday, even though it became increasingly
difficult to do so since every Friday, I was more tired than the past one.
I feel powerful and
beautiful. I’m proud to say that cancer hates me and I’m honored to share my
story in hopes of inspiring someone else to fight and fight hard.
But it
gave me purpose. Every time I walked into that hospital, I knew we were closer
to not having cancer. As time passed, my tumor disappeared! That unknown
prognosis of this BRCA2 positive breast cancer patient was now getting better
and better.
Even
after the mastectomy, there was a chance the cancer wasn’t completely gone. But
I felt confident in myself and in my care team. Every step of the way, my
doctors and nurses were there to guide me.
Today,
I feel great. I feel powerful and beautiful. I’m proud to say that cancer hates
me and I’m honored to share my story in hopes of inspiring someone else to
fight and fight hard.
This
blog post was written by cancer survivor and fighter, Elvira Velez. Follow
along with Elvira as she documents her journey through her blog, A Beautiful
Attitude, and through Instagram and Facebook.
Cancer
hates fighters like Elvira. Because with her determination and positivity,
cancer doesn’t stand a chance. Discover more reasons why Cancer Hates Us.
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