June
See full story
When June was 75, she noticed a strange lump in her breast and became concerned when it “went from the size of a pea to the size of a baseball” in about two weeks. June went in for an x-ray later that month and was diagnosed with metaplastic breast cancer, a very rare and aggressive type of cancer. June decided against the recommended radiation but opted to have her breast removed, noting to her surgeon “I am no longer in wet T-shirt contests. I don't need it.” June was put on letrozole and began chemotherapy, which took a toll on her whole body but especially her bones. Overall, June’s experience with her care center was exceptional, and the staff were like “angels” who made her “feel so comfortable when I didn't know anything about what I was getting into.” During treatment, “you're a wreck. You feel like nobody cares” however, June’s care made all the different because “if you're in a good center, they care.”
Following treatment, June experienced hair loss, body aches, fatigue, and mood changes. However, finding something you really like to do helps to “take your mind off your pains and your issues, because you will have them.” June was pleased with her decision to only remove one breast, reasoning if you broke a leg, you would never “break the other one so they match.” And though “nobody's supposed to be in your bra anyway, except you” June has dealt with discomfort wearing a bra with one breast; thanks to the group Knitted Knockers, a bra insert helps makes things “look almost normal” and is the “best thing” June has “ever seen.” Despite her keen sense of humor, June admits making so many decisions is confusing, intimidating and hard “‘cause you're scared” but ultimately it has “got to be your decision, not anybody else's.” This fear was complicated by losing her husband to brain cancer 12 years prior, however living through that is one of many reasons June is an “experience educated” woman and felt empowered to advocate for herself.
It has been a year since June was diagnosed with breast cancer and she knows she has several years to go, noting “God isn't ready for me, and the devil's afraid of me.” At 76, June feels “my age is against me” but she doesn’t give on herself, even when she’s hurting because “you don't know what tomorrow is going to bring.” June recommends that people in similar position “talk to other people” because “you need a support team” but remember when talking to other survivors that “every person is different. And every person is going to feel it differently.” June remembers feeling “all stirred up” during her appointments, so suggests others take someone with you to appointments – June felt a lot of support from her sisters and friends, especially those in her motorcycle gang. Regarding care, June wants others to know if you surgeon is “getting testy with you, remember that you're the one that's important” but try to remain calm and “not to be real witchy with them” Self-care is also important for June, and she urges others to “keep active. Try if you can. If you're mobile, keep active. Otherwise keep your mind active.”
Sharing her story and experiences is important to June because “I was so afraid when I was diagnosed. And there was nobody out there to tell me what kind of things they had to go through.” June hopes her story can provide others with a firsthand account of what someone in a similar situation might expect to go through.
June, who was in her 70s at the time, decided against reconstruction.
June, who was in her 70s at the time, decided against reconstruction.
So, I decided to have the breast removed. Now, some ladies want to have reconstruction or just radiation or whatever. Not me, I said, “Remove it. I am no longer in wet T-shirt contests. I don't need it.”
---
Okay, so now you're wearing a bra, and one side doesn't fit right. Well, there's a group out there called ‘Knitted Knockers’. And honestly, it's the best thing you ever seen. And it is just a really unique thing that fits in the other side of your bra, so that you can look almost normal. Who cares? Nobody's supposed to be in your bra anyway, except you. So, but these are things, because you're scared. Well, what do I do? Should I have both of them removed? That's got to be your decision, not anybody else's. If you have a loved one, that's who you talk to about your decisions. But eventually, you make them yourself because you're a woman.
---
I had heard so many stories about people who said, “Well, why not take them both?” and stuff. And I thought, that's like having one broken leg, so let's break the other one so they match. And I figured this way, I could still wear a bra and look halfway decent in a dress. And then the other side would have to be like something false. But I did not want reconstruction. I had heard from some, but I don't know how true it is, because I didn't do it. They said it was so hot and heavy during the summer. And I thought, no. I'll just go this way. And it works pretty good.
June says she has intense post-cancer mood swings.
June says she has intense post-cancer mood swings.
I find that I'm in mood changes now. All of a sudden, I can get pretty ugly, you know. And other times, I can be just as normal. And you wonder, where did this come from? Where did this come from? Just tell your loved ones that are around you, say, “I'm into an ugly time. Go away.” You know, just go away for a little while. And then it’s, you're like Jekyll and Hyde.
June notes how important it was to have someone with her at the doctor when she was scared.
June notes how important it was to have someone with her at the doctor when she was scared.
You got to keep asking questions. And don't, doctors are wonderful. But they're trained to tell you this, this, this, and this. Ask questions. Write it down. And take somebody with you because you're all stirred up. And you're going to forget, or you misunderstood. You misunderstood. I know I have because I've had my daughter or [NAME]. I've had my daughter or somebody with me. And they said, “No. This isn't how it went. It was like this.” And then you have to stop and think a little bit because you're scared when you go in there by doctors.
June notes how important it was to have someone with her at the doctor when she was scared.
June notes how important it was to have someone with her at the doctor when she was scared.
You got to keep asking questions. And don't, doctors are wonderful. But they're trained to tell you this, this, this, and this. Ask questions. Write it down. And take somebody with you because you're all stirred up. And you're going to forget, or you misunderstood. You misunderstood. I know I have because I've had my daughter or [NAME]. I've had my daughter or somebody with me. And they said, “No. This isn't how it went. It was like this.” And then you have to stop and think a little bit because you're scared when you go in there by doctors.
June explains how she wants doctors to talk to her.
June explains how she wants doctors to talk to her.
Tell the truth. We are not stupid out here. We want all of the truth, not just half of it. And then I have to research it later and come back to you and say, “Hey, why didn't you tell me this? Or did you forget to tell me this?” You got to be nice, because you still want more information from them, you know. But I didn't like that I wasn't told I something, or they assume that I know something. Well, I'm not a colleague. I am a patient. Patients do not always understand what the colleague is thinking. I mean, what a professional person is thinking. And we have to be told in no uncertain small terms. That's why I like Dr. [NAME]. And that's why I like the surgeon. I say, “Talk to me like I'm your grandma that lives up in the upper, up north someplace, that went through sixth grade, and that's it.” You know, “Treat me like that when I'm asking a question because I'm not going to understand your symbols, your initials of this and that. You have to tell me what the word is, and then tell me what it means. Otherwise, I have to write it down.
And then I got to go home and look it up.
Yeah. Yeah, so don't sugar coat.
Don't, you can put it simple. Don't sugar coat me. I need to know all the facts, so I can make decisions for myself.