After the breast surgery they discovered that the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes, which is bad news. I then was scheduled for an axilary dissection to take out the chain of lymph nodes on the breast area to biopsy them all for cancer. There was no more lymph involvement thank God. 

This was followed by 6 weeks of daily radiation that left me beyond exhausted while caring for a baby at home as well as 2nd degree burns on the breast area. I feel so overwhelmed with exhaustion at times, I cry at times because I feel like I am drowning with nowhere to go, because it terrifies me to think it can come back, and yet I know I could not stop because my baby depends on me and I don't want him to sense me struggle. With the help of my family, I’m making it through. Now, I’ll be on hormone therapy for the next 5 years of my life, having monthly injections that are unbelievably painful and leave me knocked out in bed for days at a time. I’m in induced menopause already, which comes with its challenges. I’ll be starting another therapy for 2 years as well. The physical, mental and emotional battle that is cancer is so overwhelming at times. I am often fearful of not being here to see my son grow, so I’ll do all I can to make sure I’m staying here to live a wholesome and happy life with my family. This is my story but there’s tons of other women like me out there fighting with all they’ve got.

I believe this happened for me and not to me. I believe it’s our biggest obstacles that carry the biggest lessons. I chose to see the rainbow at the end of the rainfall and to choose to be a better version of me through this. I want to help other women in similar situations because I understand how difficult it is to live with cancer while raising a tiny human that fully depends on you. The emotional pain is the hardest, and I want to help ease some of the pain but I need your help. If our paths ever crossed, it would mean the world to me to have your support on this cause. Cancer is not only a disease that touches you, it touches your loved ones as well, and knocks them over too. Through donations, cancer research has advanced SO much in the last 5-10 years. Many lives are now saved because of people’s generosity. This advance in reaserch can mean so much, this can mean that a new mommy gets to live to raise her baby. Every life matters. One in 8 women will have breast cancer, that's a huge number still. 

Love, Andy