Andrea’s Story

I first want to thank Meredith and Megan for coming up with such a wonderful way to let the World know that it isn’t only Women in their 50’s and 60’s that get Breast Cancer.

I found my cancer the day after 9-11-2001. I had just turned 30 a month and a half before. I am now 33 and three years cancer free. I have a 8 year old daughter Audry and a 9 year old son Jared. And I live my life to the fullest now. It took me getting cancer to wake up and get out of a destructive relationship and be the real me. Thank GOD!! I am so much happier with who I am. God Blessed me when He gave me cancer. I was able to open my eyes to so many things. Since then my mother and a friend of mine the same age as myself have been going through their own breast cancer, stage 4 both of them. Breast cancer has been the only thing talked about for the last 3 years in my home.

I was taking a shower and found a lump and had a very discolored discharge from my left nipple. I was home with my 4 yr old daughter, while my son then 5 years was at school. I called my mother and asked her to come and get Audry so I could go to urgent Care. It took the doctors only a few minutes to give me a mammogram, take samples of the discharge. My mamo came out inconclusive.

I had a vacation planned with a girlfriend and we were to leave the next day. I decided that I would still go and let the doctors deal with the results. I could not have been in a better place or with anyone else when I received the call. We were just getting ready to go canyoning on one of the 10,000 beautiful lakes in Minnesota. When I got the call they told me that they had to discuss the results with me in the office, and when would I be returning to my home town? Me being me, I didn’t rush back home. I needed the time up north in the beauty and peace before returning home to my now ex-boyfriend and our children. When I returned 3 days later, the doctor wanted me to have a ductogram to check things further.

My mother joined me for the test for support. When it was all over the doctor came out and scratched himself and told me that every thing was fine. My mom was thrilled and relieved. He told us that I was fine and that I should come back in 6 months to be re-checked. After my appointment I went over to my best friend Leslie’s house to let her know how everything turned out. When I was there I felt completely full and needed to express the saline and dye from my breast. This was the point of what I call my no return. The saline and dye came out a different duct than the one the discharge was coming from! They had done the test wrong. I then called my regular doctor and he was able to get me in the Mayo clinic the very next morning.

I thank GOD the world’s best clinic is only 45 minutes away. It took the doctors there only 10 minutes to find what my home town doctor said wasn’t there. And within a week I had a bi-lat mastectomy. 3 months after that I had a tram-flap transplant.

Which put me down for another 3 months. The depression was more than I could handle, and I moved out of my home and began treatment for depression. Then I moved to a different state altogether to be with my now partner. She has been with me every step of the way. If it hadn’t been for her emotional support I don’t know how I would have made it. We have since moved back to Minnesota to be closer to my mother and children.

Well, anyway enough of that!!! I am so thrilled to be able to take part in such a awesome event. I have ridden motor-cycles for over 25yrs. This is a Dream come true!!!!! I will be doing this in hope of making a difference for all young women out there!!! We are not alone!!!