Ribbon of Strength: My Breast Cancer Journey and Recovery
Wrapping Up Treatment: Ringing the Bell
Two months ago, on August 26, 2024, I rang the bell, marking the end of my breast cancer treatment. It was a powerful and emotional moment. 21 weeks of chemotherapy, 13 rounds of radiation, and a double mastectomy are now behind me. I’m relieved and grateful to have reached this milestone, but the journey isn’t quite over yet.
If you’re new to this, I shared my diagnosis earlier this year in the article: My Breast Cancer Journey Begins.
The Next Chapter: Long-Term Medication
While I’m happy to be cancer-free, my next step is to stay that way. To help prevent the cancer from coming back, I’ll be taking Tamoxifen for 10 years and VERZENIO for two years. These medications aim to lower the risk of recurrence and support my long-term health. It’s a long commitment, but after everything I’ve experienced, I’m prepared for it.
I’m focusing on healthier lifestyle changes alongside my medication, especially in my diet. I’ve been learning about clean eating and avoiding additives in processed foods. I’m interested in eating organic and exploring the Mediterranean diet, which uses fresh ingredients. Also, I’ve been learning about sourdough starters, so you might see some homemade bread with my quilts!
Looking Ahead: Reconstruction Surgery
Once I complete my VERZENIO treatment, my reconstruction surgery is planned for fall 2026, where I’ll have DIEP Flap Surgery. You can find more details about this procedure here. Currently, I have ‘spacers’ to help stretch my skin. The aim is to keep my breast size the same by transferring fat from my belly to my breasts. I need to maintain some fat for this to work, so I won’t be on extreme diets!
I’m focused on a healthy lifestyle but have a good reason to hold onto my ‘mommy tummy’ for its future role. Plus, this procedure will provide a tummy tuck, helping me feel more confident and comfortable. For now, it’s about balance—eating healthy while avoiding significant weight loss!
My Breast Cancer Journey: A Wake-Up Call 🚨
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I want to take this opportunity to encourage everyone to stay on top of their breast exams. I was diligent about my mammograms, getting them religiously since I turned 40. But here’s the catch—because I have dense breast tissue, it was difficult for a standard mammogram to detect any issues. In fact, around 40% of women have dense breast tissue, and many don’t realize that this can make it harder to spot cancer.
Each year, I would receive a notification after my mammogram recommending an ultrasound. But because my insurance didn’t cover the additional test—and I had no family history of breast cancer—I opted not to pay the extra out of pocket. Unfortunately, that decision led to a late diagnosis of stage 3 breast cancer.
The Importance of Being Proactive: Get the Ultrasound
I regret not getting the ultrasound, as it might have prevented my double mastectomy, chemo, and radiation. I’m thankful I found the cancer before it spread past my lymph nodes, but I only noticed it when my breast changed. This experience has taught me that health is priceless.
If you or someone you know has dense breast tissue, please consider asking for an ultrasound during screenings. It can help catch cancer early, and I hope my story raises awareness about this important issue.
A Gift to You: The Ribbon of Strength Quilt Pattern 🎀
To celebrate this victory, I’m sharing my Ribbon of Strength quilt block pattern with you. It’s an 18” x 18” block featuring a pink ribbon.
You can use any colors or fabrics to make it your own. I hope this pattern inspires creativity and reminds you of strength, whether you’re making it for yourself or someone who has faced difficulties.
Gratitude and Moving Forward
I’m beyond thankful to be cancer-free, and I owe so much to my family, friends, and this incredible community for supporting me through this journey. During my treatment, I lost all of my hair, and now that it’s over, my hair is slowly starting to grow back. For over a decade, I’ve been dying my hair, and I always wondered just how gray I really was. Every five weeks, I’d get my roots done, never giving myself the chance to see my natural color. Well, this regrowth is giving me that opportunity. It turns out my hair is a salt and pepper mix!
While some people tell me it’s growing fast, it still feels really slow to me. It’s super short right now, but I’m giving myself grace and patience through this process. Today, I’m embracing my natural salt and pepper look and don’t plan to color it anytime soon—though, no promises about how I’ll feel tomorrow! For now, I’m just letting it be and appreciating where I am.
While this chapter of my life will always be a part of my story, I’m ready to focus on the future—and, of course, on all the exciting quilting projects ahead!
Thank you for being here, for your support, and for allowing me to share this deeply personal experience. And remember, if you have dense breast tissue, don’t skip the ultrasound. It might just save your life. 💕
Praise the Lord, I’m so glad you’re journey is coming along. Anyone who has heard those words knows
the nerve wracking feeling of your journey. “God is good, He’s good all the time.” Take a deep breath
and carry on with you’re wonderful life!
Thank you for sharing you testimony! It’s so important! And thank you for sharing the quilt block as well. You are an inspiration to others. Be gentle with yourself and be grateful for all you’ve been given!
I am happy to hear upu are doing well after your double mastectomy, chemo and radiation. I have a friend who finished her treatments 1 year ago. She did not have to have chemo, thankfully. My niece, who was 21 when diagnosed with breast cancer has gone through the exact treatment you had. Both opted for no reconstruction. Thank goodness you are doing well. I’ll be praying for you.
Lynette
I do mine every year, but just like you I have very dense breast so every so often they send me for and ultrasound, I am glad that I have follow my guts and done it. yes I had to paid what insurance don’t cover. Now reading your story I feel that I need to keep doing the same. Thank you for sharing such a personal moment in your life, prayers from an army of quilters will make the journey a bit easier. Praise the Lord for your healing and future outcome.
Thank you for sharing your story with us. I have been cancer free for 30 years now which may seem like a long time but I am grateful for every day I am here. I enjoy your post each and every. Keep moving forward and enjoy life.
Congrats on your successful battle with breast cancer! Wishing for you that each day brings a little more strength, determination, and continued healing. Thank you for having the courage to share your story with us and be an example that there is hope and the difficult journey is worth the effort.
I am so thankful to hear the wonderful results. My daughter in law has been through the exact treatment plan as you this year, declared Cancer free and finishing her radiation on 13Aug She also awaits reconstructive surgery in the future. There is still a journey ahead for both of you but I pray your health continues to improve.
I’m so glad you’ve been treated for this awful disease. I also had breast’s cancer found on a mammogram but was stage 1 so less invasive treatments. I’m 23 years cancer free praise the Lord and pro mammogram
Blessings to you as you continue to navigate this journey.
Glad to hear things are progressing forward. Continue to take of yourself. Thinking good thoughts.
Thank you for sharing your journey. You have touched our lives with a real life situation that will help others. Bless you all ways and always.
Thank you for sharing your journey with us and congratulations on reaching the first milestone (ringing that bell!) Mammograms and ultrasounds are so important. As an aside, my 94 year old mother (a 35+ year survivor) participated in on e of the first double blind studies of Tamoxifan. Best wishes on the next steps. Stay healthy and know many are cheering you on.
I’m 5 years cancer free and off the anti-estrogen hormone blockers! Dense breast tissue for me and recommended ultrasounds caught it at Stage 1 in both breasts. I still opted for a double masectomy and reconstruction. So thankful you are promoting screenings….it’s so important.
So glad you made it through this very difficult time! I was lucky that my doctor was very diligent and I had the ultrasound done after my Mammogram. I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a lumpectomy done exactly two years from today. I had a six session of radiation treatments and am on Tamoxifen for five years . Thankyou for sharing your story and encouraging all women to get Mammograms and ultra sounds if w needed.
thank you for sharing your personal journey. I’m so glad that you were able to get treatment. God is good. my prayers to you for now and the future treatment that you need to undergo. We as women need to stand together, not Just breast exams but for menopausal issues. I look forward to your quilting .
I had Diep Flap reconstruction surgery many years ago, 1999, when it was still relatively new. The look and feel is very natural. I am glad you are past chemo and radiation and moving forward to the next chapter in your journey. Stay strong – you’ve got this!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful story. Praising God for your healing!!
Oh I am sorry for your diagnosis, but happy to hear the good news. I also have dense breast tissue, along with my two sisters and all six of our daughters. We have been doing the ultrasound procedures for years because our Mom passed with breast cancer (no family history). She was seventy-seven, ‘old school’ and kept it a secret for a long time. Then she realized the lump in her armpit was not going away but grew larger. By then, it was stage four, she needed a double mastectomy and it went to other organs quickly. We don’t want to wait for that to happen, so we are very diligent about our appointments. Actually, I just had mine this past Monday and am waiting for the results. Thank you for sharing your story and you are in our prayers.
Thank you for sharing your journey with us. I used to do mammograms many years ago and know how hard it is to keep a straight face after seeing what will be some of the worst news a woman or man can receive. Yes, men can develop breast cancer as well and the fatality rate is much higher in men. I did CT for 28 years of my 30 year career and scanned so many cancer patients. It was an honor to be involved in someone’s diagnosis and treatment.
Happy to hear you’re on to the next step of your journey. I just completed the Verzenio 2 years and while the side affect sucks, it is very manageable. I was able to live a normal life and I’ll say if your joints (lower back) hurts, ask for another drug instead of the Tamoxifen. I switched to exemestane and have been so much happier. I had implants put in following my DMX and have never looked back. I’ve been really happy with them. My mom had the DF surgery and her body was never the same. I learned a lot from her experience and chose differently when I had to go through it. I wish she’d live to see me rock cancer. Stay the course and your journey will be complete sooner than you think.
Four year survivor, age 70. What am I doing with my second chance? I recently bought a long arm, no longer have a guest room and I am loving the learning experience with my prostitcher lite – a bit of a learning curve and then woo hoo I got it, I got it. Three quilts completed on the long arm so far!!
As a breast cancer survivor of 13 years thank you so much for sharing your story. It is one every woman should hear. And thank you for the pattern. I have looked in the past for a way to make the ribbon look right!
Lots of love for you
Thank you for sharing your story. Today was my 6 month check up following a mastectomy. It is so very sad how many women experience breast cancer. Thank you to all of the women sharing their stories, they are encouraging.
Nicole – please talk to your drs about Tamoxifen causing Carcino Sarcoma – I wish someone would have told me my risks and options before I took it for more than 5 years. If my drs had suggested a hysterectomy to prevent the possibility I certainly would have taken that path. I was diagnosed in April 2023 with Carcino Sarcoma – I had a robotic hysterectomy – mine had not spread but still needed 6 chemo and 4 radiation treatments – this cancer is rare, very aggressive and definitely linked to Tamoxifen – please be diligent . It has a very poor prognosis. I will go for pelvic exams every 3 months for 2 years and ct scan with contrast every 6 months. God bless you! Becky
Thank you so much for reaching out and for sharing your experience. I’m truly grateful to hear from someone who has been through this, and I appreciate your insight and care.
I’m glad to say that my doctors provided me with a thorough overview of Tamoxifen and its risks before deciding on this path. Like you mentioned, cases like yours are rare, but I’m being closely monitored, and my doctor believes this is the best choice for my situation.
Thank you again for taking the time to share your story, and I’ll definitely keep it in mind as I go forward. Sending you strength and blessings.
Warmly,
Nicole
Thank you for your story. My mother’s youngest sister had breast cancer and she is now 35 years cancer free. However, other medical issues were found. She is now 84. My prayers go out to you on this journey.
I am happy to see that you are remaining positive. May God bless you and keep you cancer free.
Healing vibes sent your way. You have lots of love and support behind you <3
Nicole, from this 8 year thrivor to you my sister in this journey, this is only the beginning of the beautiful life we create for ourselves post cancer and completed treatments. I let my hair grow back and kept it virgin, no more dye. I love my silver hair and so happy that I went with my gut to stay natural. One of the other decisions I made was to keep my hair short in a pixie cut which is carefree and easy to wash and go.
Your story is so similar to mine. Stage 3 but I was triple positive. You have been through a lot and you came out stronger than ever. I am 9 years from initial diagnosis – doing GREAT! My prayers are with you – I know this was not an easy road.
Yay for getting through the heavy duty part of treatment – it’s a slog. Triple negative here, the opposite of you, but also stage three. 15 years out now. Wishing you well and a long life with no evidence of disease and no particular side effects from ongoing treatment.
Thank you for sharing your very hard journey with us and encouraging us to take care of ourselves. You are very courageous! Congratulations on ringing the bell and being cancer-free. May you continue to heal and to find joy in life.
I, also, have gone through a breast cancer ordeal; however, not as extensive as you have had to deal with. God Bless You for the strength you have shown to tell others of your journey. Prayers are going to you from many people to help you continue to be well.
Thanks for sharing your story. Wishing you every success going forward.
I am also a breast cancer survivor, diagnosed at stage 3. I always tell people to get the ultrasound as my cancer was not detectable with a mammogram. Mammograms are good but they do not detect all breast cancers.
Just do the ultrasound. It is far less painful than the mammogram in any event.
I am So Proud of You and your courage to share your experiences about your breast cancer with the Quilt community. Thank you for your candid remarks and suggestions.
You aare a great example to all.
I am glad you still keep up with your work and love of fabric!