My story began three years ago, when I went for my annual mammogram. I will preface this by saying I have no family history of breast cancer and have had normal mammograms for 10 years. During the procedure, the technician brought to my attention a lump in my left breast and asked if I had noticed it before that appointment. I had not been aware of it, even though I had been performing my monthly self-exams. She said, "It's probably nothing but I want to show it to the radiologist."
A few minutes later, the technician and the radiologist entered my room and said she wanted to schedule an ultrasound of my breast with a biopsy. The radiologist said she wanted to see if it was just scar tissue or dense tissue.
A week later, I was back at the hospital having the ultrasound, when another radiologist came into the room and said he thought it would be better to go to a surgeon and just have it removed, again thinking it was just scar tissue. Two days later, I went by myself to the hospital and had a surgeon remove the lump, even showing it to me saying he thought it looked like scar tissue. He asked the pathologist to perform a frozen section on it right at that time so he could tell me the results right away and I wouldn't have to wait. As I lay there on the operating table, 20 minutes later, in walked the pathologist with her head down. She walked over to the doctor and whispered in his ear.
His eyes grew big and he looked over at me and said, "I'm sorry. It's cancer."
At first, it didn't register. The doctor came over to me and asked if anyone was at the hospital with me. I said no, thinking it was going to be nothing. I just remember saying, very calmly, "Okay, what do I do next? I'll do what I have to do." I think I left there numb and in disbelief and remember calling my mother on the way home. I started to cry when it hit me as I was saying I have breast cancer. The hardest thing for me was having to tell my husband and children. My next call was to my Supervisor at work.
As I had never called in sick I had no idea what to do, as far as work went. My Supervisor was so wonderful. She let me know who to contact to start my FMLA process and assured me everything at work would be fine. I began researching doctors and hospitals and decided to go to a specialist at a major hospital in Chicago. I had a mastectomy in January 2009. During my medical leave, I can't say how absolutely wonderful and caring all my Coworkers, Supervisors and Managers were. The day I returned home from the hospital, several Coworkers delivered three weeks worth of meals they had personally put together with donations from everyone. A couple days later, some of them came over with a teapot, teas, and loungewear, for my recovery. Cards began pouring in from Headquarters, along with a beautiful comfy throw to keep me warm.
On Valentine's Day, my doorbell rang and there were some Coworkers with a pretty pink basket with about 50 tiny bottles of wine, all in a little heart-designed drawstring bag with a personal LUV note attached from my Family at work. All the prayers, cards, phone calls and good wishes that followed brought tears to my eyes. I can't imagine any other Company would have shown me the LUV and support I received from my Southwest Family. I am forever grateful to each and everyone of them-- you have all touched my life. I am happy to say in January I will be cancer free for three years, and look forward to working at Southwest with my LUVing Family for years to come!
