I was diagnosed on September 14, 2005, at the age of 37.

Michele

Hello everyone.

I woke up on July 21st in a great deal of pain from a large (5 cm) mass under my right arm. I did a breast exam only to find a large mass at 11 o'clock.

I scheduled an appointment with my physician, who misdiagnosed me as having mastitis. After a two week course of the antibiotic augmentin, I knew it was much worse than 'mastitis' and scheduled another appointment with The Rose, a non-profit organization in Houston, Tx.

I had my mammies grammed along with an Ultrasound, and the radiologist said: 'You have a nasty tumor. We have to biopsy you today.'

I was told I had IDC on September 7, 2005, and I scheduled an appointment with an oncologist my mother knows. I was told that I have IBC on September 14, 2005.

I had a port-a-cath inserted on September 19th, and started chemo (FEC) on the 20th. I have dose-dense FEC every two weeks, and I will have a modified radical mastectomy without reconstruction on November 28th.

Then I will have two more rounds of FEC, then 8 rounds of Taxol, then radiation twice daily for 7 weeks.

I have a 12 year old son and a 5 year old daughter.

Please click on the titles of the song and the hymn in order to hear the music.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Somewhere, over the rainbow,
way up high,
There's a land that I heard of
once in a lullaby.

Somewhere, over the rainbow,
skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream
really do come true.

Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me,
Where troubles melt like lemon drops.
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow,
bluebirds fly,
Birds fly over the rainbow,
Why then, oh why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow,
Why oh why can't I?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Lord, In Your Love

Lord, in Your love,
You've given life to me,
Lord, in Your love.
Lord, for Your love,
I give my life to You,
Lord, for Your love.

As You shed Your blood,
may I shed my blood for You.
In Your Truth revealed,
may my life be ever true.

Through Your grace, my Lord,
is my life redeemed from sin.
In Your death, my Lord,
did my life begin again!

I was empty, Lord,
till Your presence filled my soul.
Without purpose, Lord,
till Your purpose made me whole.

How can I repay
all the good You've done for me?
How can I express
all the love I have for Thee?