When Your Sister Has Breast Cancer - originally published by Associated Content, 2008

Today, March 19 I found out my oldest sister Joy has Stage 1 breast cancer.

I was going to wait to write about this. It seems that I'm being insensitive (maybe I am) by going ahead and writing about Joy's diagnosis.

Those last two words in that sentence I just wrote look like a foreign language to me.

Joy's Diagnosis.

It doesn't seem real.

I've always been one to have delayed reactions to things. When my parents told me they were getting divorced as a child I didn't cry right away, but retreated to my room.

I've been that way ever since. On the surface I guess it would appear that I am cold but that is hardly the truth at all. I just have always used writing to deal with tragedies and problems in my life.

Joy, 52, didn't get her mammogram done last year because she was busy although she had gotten it the year before.

Five years ago her husband of 25 years died in a car accident.

She still has her grown daughters (my nieces) and her four grandsons and, of course, her three sisters and Mom.

Joy had planned to get her biopsy results March 26 but they came back early. She got the biopsy done last week and will get a second opinion now as to what to do.

"Thankfully it sounds like she caught it very early and she's wise to get a second opinion," said a friend of mine. "A friend of mine, a nurse has successfully gone through a double mastectomy reconstruction, hysterectomy. She had chemo as well as went through losing hair, but had a beautiful wig. Now her hair's growing back, she's got her port out (a site for IV chemo under the skin below her neck). She's had some rough times but would you believe she worked through a lot of that time? Just amazing! She's just got a positive, beautiful outlook and I am very happy for her. I know it would be most fearful to hear the word cancer but oh, how much better they are able to treat breast cancer now if women get their mammograms and proceed with treatment when needed."

My friend, who is in the medical field, says it is such a much more knowledgeable time if one has to have breast cancer.

"I can so well remember when it was as bad as pancreatic cancer so I am very grateful for the research making survival so much more possible," she said. "Like I've told you and others pancreatic cancer is where breast cancer was in the 30s so I hope it doesn't take us (pancreatic cancer advocates) long to get where they are today."

My friend says she sees her doctor, gets her mammograms, and does whatever it takes to take care of her breast health.

"I also do all I can to monitor my colon health, having my colonoscopy every five years. It's so important after my brother had colon cancer (found early and survived it)," she stated. "I also get a chest x-ray every so often as my mom died of lung cancer. Of course she had smoked but I don't want to discount my dumb teenage smoking and environment as well. I also keep my doc watching me for any sign of ovarian cancer even though I have had my ovaries removed. My sister survived ovarian cancer."

My friend's husband also gets his colonoscopies done and has his prostate examined.

"All of us, whatever color (African-Americans have a higher incidence of pancreatic cancer as well), must do all we can to prevent or obtain early diagnosis of cancers," she explained. "I will be glad when we have early detection for pancreatic cancer. I know we must also keep pushing for research to win the war against cancer."