I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1991. I was 40 years old. I had been married 23 years. My husband, Ken, and were raising our 22 year-old daughter and 16 year-old son and looking forward to our Silver Anniversary. I had a Bachelor’s Degree and was working at LA County Library, where I still work 27 years later.
I found the lump near the center of my chest myself. It felt like a very hard BB and was visible by the time the diagnosis was changed from cyst to aggressive breast cancer in a rapid S-pase 6 months later. The tumor was missed on a mammogram. I did not fit any of the profiles. No family history, thin, healthy, always the dedicated exerciser.
To say my family and I were shocked at the terrifying, unexpected diagnosis is a complete and total understatement. In one sentence, I heard, “Modified Radical Mastectomy, Chemo, Radiation, Drugs, Possibly in the Lungs.” I asked how much time I had. The doctor couldn’t even extend my life for TWO WEEKS!
After fainting and coming to, I came back swinging. My husband was crying so hard, I actually got us to a pharmacy, bought a box of tissues, drove us home and called my family.
As a global thinker who operates 20 years in the future, one of the hardest tasks I had was to learn to live minute-by-minute. My head felt like it was cut off and replaced facing backward. I refused to subscribe to even a magazine, thinking I might not be here. I loved hearing my family laughing when I was in another room, knowing they were happy and would be fine when I was gone.
I was warned I would have an issue with swelling of my arm, lymphedema, for the rest of my life. After surgery, I was given an extensive list of things to avoid. I was blessed to have never experienced this issue, but every woman I knew at the time came down with it.
As an avid believer in exercise, I asked my doctor about physical restrictions. He told me to do whatever I felt like. And I did. I pushed myself from the first day from surgery and continue to do so to this day. Kathrine Switzer says, “Running gave me myself.” Yes, Kathrine, it does. After breast cancer had robbed me of so much, It was not going to take another thing from me without a fight. Also, after hearing those dreaded words at diagnosis, there is very little, especially the word, “No,” that can rile me.
I drove myself to chemo, administered by IV, twice a month, for six months. I was treated with CMF, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5 flourouracil. I drove home as quickly as I could, knowing the severe nausea would grip me at any time, without warning. Injectable Zofran helped, but required another trip to the doctor.
I had hair below my waist, which began falling out, clogging the drain and looking completely fried about two weeks after the start of chemo. I went to the hair dresser, who scolded me for using the wrong product. I never told her what was going on. I just told her to cut it all off. Made exercising all that easier.
I have an inkling of what these littlest of our cancer VICTORS and their families will go through in their first minutes, hours, days and weeks. So does One Mission.
Please see their heroic, life-giving plan of attack below and contribute to this cause. We will all feel better and benefit. THANK YOU!
Pat Winiecki
One Mission is a pediatric cancer foundation that does whatever it takes to help kids get through cancer. We just do it in a different way. Rather than fund long-term solutions like research, One Mission funds programs and services that provide immediate relief from the relentless wrath cancer unleashes every single day. Programs and services that lift the spirits of patients and their families, help the healing and recovery process and make life a little easier during treatment and hospitalization. All of the programs we fund directly benefit children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer, the families who support them, and the medical community who compassionately cares for them.
The inspiration behind One Mission came from the founders’ own personal journey with pediatric cancer. They spent six months living at Boston Children’s Hospital while their infant son underwent treatment. During their journey, they identified many ways life could be improved for both patients and their families. Their experience inspired them to start a foundation that would help to ease the devastating toll this disease takes on both patients and their families.
Please help! Visit https://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/PatWiniecki/Falmouth-Road-Race-20181 and donate. Thank you!
