Stacie Chidester

At age 43 If was diagnosed, just days before Christmas of 2017, with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, a type of breast cancer. After a visit with my oncologist, it was determined that the redness that was present around the lump was a result of an Inflammatory cancer which changed the cancer treatment plan from a lumpectomy to a mastectomy and putting me in the stage 3 category. A recent MRI showed another tumor growing behind the first one, also cancerous, and several other smaller ones in different locations on both breasts. I finished chemotherapy at the end of May. I underwent surgery to remove one of my breasts followed by intense radiation treatment that will last 30 days. My husband of 18 years is very supportive and working hard to try to meet the demands of the medical expenses that they are going to be facing during this time, however, sadly enough it won’t be enough to cover even half of what they we are expecting the total cost to be. After 13 years of marriage and an invitro treatment my husband and I were finally able to have a child of their own. He is a very energetic and fun loving five-year-old, whom I am very proud of. I enjoy spending time with him and watching him learn and grow. During this whole time, I have maintained a positive outlook on life and continues to teach My cute little Kindergarten class. I plan on working as much as I can throughout my treatment process. As I continue to go through this process I have learned that slowing down is not a bad thing. I have looked at life in a different way than I had before. There are demons that haunt all of us and you just never know what they are in anybody. Yes, I have had my bad days and I have had my good days. The one thing that helps me make it through my day is having a purpose. I love to teach and I look at it in a different light now than I did before.