My name is Marvella. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 at the age of 34 years old. It all started in February of that year of me not feeling well. I went to doctor after doctor ER after ER and even urgent care. Everyone told me it was my allergies and acid reflux. I knew it was something deeper because I pay attention to my body and the warning signs. Months later my cancer came close to my areola area. I thought it would go away. The knot was not painful. I went to the doctor and he had a shocked look on his face. He told me he didn’t deal with that type of issue and would refer me to a doctor and would not touch me. I went to the referred doctor and they set up a biopsy. I went for my biopsy and the doctor told me that day she was sure it was cancer. I told them I wanted to know my results by phone because I was sure it was nothing major.
I had not heard from the doctor for about a week. I kept calling her she was never there. I went down there to locate her and could not get in contact with her. The next week, late at night a number called. I answered thinking it was my kids' doctor. It was her telling me I had breast cancer. She had no empathy at all, just talked like it was nothing. While holding the phone my mind was going everywhere. I tuned back in time to find out my oncologist name. His office called me days later to set up an appointment. I went to the best doctor ever. He told me I needed a mammogram, so I did that. I thought it was only one knot and I would get a lumpectomy. It turned out there were several so I had to get a mastectomy. I was devastated. I didn’t feel whole anymore. I said I would like to get an implant so I was sent to a specialist for that. They caught my cancer in time and by the time I was diagnosed it was stage 3. I had my surgery in 2014 and they also put a balloon & a port inside my body. I had to do chemotherapy & come back the next day to get a shot that would cause me not to get an infection. I don’t know what made me feel worse. I went thru losing my hair and not being able to really do too much but lay down. While I was going through that I was getting fluid inserted in my balloon that was in my now gone boob. That was another painful experience.
After my chemotherapy I had to do radiation. I was told it was too much fluid in my boob for me to do radiation. I had to let the doctor take the fluid out. I started radiation & it was very painful, it burned my whole skin off I could see my tissue it was awful. After I was done with radiation I had to go back to the reconstruction doctor and almost start the process back over. He filled up the balloon again. I had that surgery in 2016. I am still going to the doctor it used to be every 3 months but about a couple of years ago it started being every 6 months. My oncologist put me on a 10 year plan. This year will be the 7th year. He said my cancer was very aggressive and was caused by my hormones.
Now, I take a cancer pill daily. I was getting a shot every 3 months but in 2019 it changed to every month. I hated how it always made me feel afterwards. I talked to my doctor and asked was there something I could do in place of the shot. I was told I could get off it and get my ovaries taken out. I talked to the referred doctor and he said he wanted to do a full hysterectomy. I just had this surgery on May 19th 2021. Everything went well and I am at home recovering from this now 3rd surgery concerning my breast cancer. I look forward to living a long prosperous life in spite of this cancer thing. I am so much stronger because of this tough journey I have been on & will continue to be on. I urge people to listen to your bodies and take the best care of them. Thank you for letting me tell my story, I know it’s kind of long but I hope I’m able to help someone. Cancer does not have an age limit so always take care of & know your body.