Breeauna Shaver

Survivor

Me and my mom

In April 2021 I first found out that my mom was diagnosed with Breast cancer. During that time the doctors told us it was stage 3 and then two days later it turned into stage 4 breast cancer and by that time her left breast got bigger. I was working at a childcare center during the time my mom got her diagnosis. I was unsure about the sleepless nights ,tears and the pain my mom was going through. As time went on and months past by, Her strength started to worsen.I was Trying my best to be as prepared as I could. By the Beginning of November 2022 I had my doctors appointment and talked to my primary care doctor,During my visit with my doctor she had asked how my mom was doing ,and I told her it was only a few days left with her. We Both had decided within that time that It would probably be best for me to go in and get a scan. A small back story I had done a Genetic test back in 2019 just a few years before I found out my mom was diagnosed.when I got the test back everything was negative so years later when my mom was diagnosed I couldn’t figure how she was diagnosed with stage 4.After my testing I went straight to my parents home to see how my mom was doing and it looked like I only had a day or two left before she passed. 2 weeks after her funeral I then received the news that I was also diagnosed with stage 2 Breast cancer at the time and I needed to go into surgery right away. I couldn’t figure out how I also was diagnosed and couldn’t figure where the breast cancer came from. I was unsure ,worried ,still hadn’t recovered from loosing my mom and now I have to go through my breast cancer journey at the same time. Before I knew it I was meeting with a plastic surgeon and a breast cancer suregon .By the next day my date for surgery was set and I still had so many mixed emotions. For example the thought of going through the journey without my mom here was going to be extreamly tough. February 9th 2023 I started my Journey getting a double mastectomy. During that time I went through the entire process and making the decision that I would follow the surgery by doing a reconstruction. It took many months of healing and staring at my body like I didn’t feel like I was out of my own perfect body dealing with all these new changes.After surgery I was going in every week to meet with doctors on how the healing was doing ,I then met with my oncologist about the next medice I would be taking,how long I would be on it ,The things that I would be dealing with,a long with test results. Come to find out there was one small lymph node that was positive but it was very small. The Doctors were back and fourth on if I needed to go through anouther surgery but after meeting with my oncologist they had decided I didnt need anouther one,so we moved forward on my reconstruction.At the begining of my breast cancer journey I had some support from family but not enough of the support I was hoping for. For an entire year I had undergo a very dark place from thoughts of sucide ,fear of not being able to be a mother. .It took many months to find a therapist but during that time I was so thankful to have the help of my doctors. During this time I also decided to continue with my moms legacy and put together a podcast called the Good The Bad and the ugly for others who are also either starting their journey or currently going through through the process. I know for myself it has taken a lot of where I am today . I do still continues to have my tough moments but always continue to see the Brighter end of the day each day!