Breast Cancer: Rosie's Patient Story

What happened, in summary

Rosie noticed that her left breast looked different while she was in the shower and found a lump when she checked it. She saw her GP the next day, was referred to a breast clinic and had a biopsy 2 weeks later. Her diagnosis was confirmed the following week. The news left her fearful, overwhelmed and worried, but she moved forward with a plan that included mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. She is currently undergoing radiation therapy. Treatment has brought fatigue, nausea, vomiting and peripheral neuropathy, and she has had to stop her usual exercise for now. Cancer has also affected intimacy with her partner and reduced the time she spends with her children. One of Rosie’s strongest hopes is to live long enough to see her children have children of their own. She also worries about recurrence and about what would happen to her partner, father and children if she did not survive. To manage those fears, Rosie uses dialectical behavioral therapy skills, exercises when she can and educates herself about triple-negative breast cancer.