November 2024 Newsletter

The Journey…
By
Anjali Chase

When I think back to my selfish teenage years, I vaguely remember what my mother went through during her first fight with breast cancer in the late 90s. I was very self-absorbed and wrapped up in my social life, and therefore, did not really grasp what was happening at home. This was in the late 1990’s and I was in the midst of high school angst, which is so common amongst American teens, more so now with the influence of social media.

2004, I was in college, and Elizabeth Edwards, wife of then Presidential candidate John Edwards, announced she had breast cancer while at a campaign rally in the battleground state of Wisconsin. I only remember this because now I was in my selfish college years studying Political Science. I remember my mother had elected to have a bi-lateral mastectomy when I was in high school, so she was continuing to go for annual mammograms, and it seemed to be about this time she was diagnosed AGAIN in the second breast. Cancer a SECOND TIME!

Unbelievably, my aunt, on my father’s side, was also diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time as my mother’s second diagnosis. She also elected to have a bi-lateral mastectomy, and my mother chose the same, thus had both breasts fully removed, and I’m grateful she’s still with me.

It was not until I was living on my own, away from home in Las Vegas in my 30s, did I start to become somewhat mature (as you will see, my maturity came much later to me than most) and in 2013, when Angelina Jolie announced to the world that she had undergone a preventative double mastectomy due to a BRCA genetic mutation, I was first in line for the doctor referral, but really just for the option for a new set that would not sag when I was in my 50s.

It was a harsh reality when the insurance company denied my request for coverage for the test, not once, but 3 separate times, and I knew I had to live with what God had given me. At this time, I was roughly 35 years old and was starting to take life a little more seriously.

At my annual OBGYN exam at age 36, I had a new OB, and when she performed my breast exam, she asked if I had implants, which I found odd, but also kind of complimentary, but still odd that she would not recognize the difference. My mother had been suggesting that I request a baseline mammogram, and when I did, the OB told me I was too young, regardless of family history. I went back the following year, and it was the same story. I decided to change doctors.

My new OB at 38 was younger than me, obviously very bright, and was shocked when I told her I was denied the request for a baseline, ESPECIALLY because of the family history on both sides. I was so excited to go for the first time just to see what the hype was about! I did go every year, and then COVID 2020 I skipped, like most women. And then, I skipped 2021.

2022, I was back in the swing of things, I had picked up a Peloton bike during COVID and was active in the online Peloton community and decided to take charge of my physical health, so scheduled my mammogram, when she squeezed my left breast into the machine, it was so painful! I knew something was wrong and went home to tell my husband.

The next day, the mammography center called me for a return visit and ultrasound, and the sonographer was measuring on her machine, and I knew there was something there. I cried when they called me back to redo the mammogram on that left side, because I honestly thought I was going to die. And the drive home was a decision time for me and how I was going to handle this.

One of my biggest personality traits has always been my nonchalant attitude, and carefree “everything will work out” mindset. It has been seen by others and myself as immaturity, or as optimism, or as being vain, but at this moment, this was my strength. I could pity party my way through this process, or I could use this time to learn as MUCH as I could to help someone else not feel like they were in a hopeless situation. Instead of joining a support group of cancer patients, I joined a support group called Peloton Breast Cancer SURVIVORS, in which members of the same community I loved had been through the same thing I was going through, but realized that what you surround yourself with has profound effect on how your body will respond to something that can be so devastating. It is no secret that daily movement is the key to better health, and without this group, I do not know that I would have been able to stay positive throughout the process.

I finally received the approval from the insurance company to move forward with genetic testing (ironic, isn’t it) and found that I am positive for a genetic mutation called CHK2. Had I caught this, like Angelina Jolie, I could have had a preventative double mastectomy before I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I did not, but now that I know, I can be proactive with the screenings needed for what my genes want me to suffer with. I now do colonoscopies every 2 years instead of 10 years, and it is the best nap ever.

The moral of my story is this, know your family history. Even if you are too immature to recognize it at that time, keep a record of it for when you need it. Know your body. I never did a single self-exam and would have never known if there were changes in my body. Know your doctor. If you are not getting what you need, OR what you want, go to someone else. And finally, surround yourself with things and people that are good for you. Do not allow toxic behaviors, peoples, thoughts to bring you down. You have one life, and every single day is worth living.

Thank you for reading, and for your valuable support.