|
|
Stories
Janine's Story
In October of 1995, Janine was in her second year of law school at Southwestern University. Although she was only 28, she noticed both a lump in her breast and a discharge from the nipple. She went to her obstetrician/gynecologist, and when she mentioned the lump he said, "You're young. What are you worried about? That's just fibrocystic." Later, when she described the nipple discharge he said, "That's just hormonal," and told her there was no need for a mammogram.
Five months later, around January, or February of the next year, both symptoms were still present, but when she called the doctor's office again, he told her not to worry about it.
Soon after that, she moved to Orange County and her life became much more hectic. She was still in law school and about to get married. And still, none of her symptoms had disappeared. Too busy to pay much attention, she now says, "I was lucky. I had a nagging mother and a nagging mother-in-law." Between the two of them, she was pressured into a referral to the Breast Care Center. Looking back, she says, "Those two women were irritating. But they saved my life."
About five months later, she went to see Dr. West. He did a Sonogram, and needle biopsy. He could feel the lump, but the needle biopsy came out fine.
Still, at that moment, she was frantically busy - with the finals of law school and getting married. Though Dr. West said they should take out the lump, she asked, "Can we wait?"
Dr. West answered, "That's up to you." She did a clerkship, went on her honeymoon, and a few months later responded to a reminder card from Dr. West. She called in and Dr. West scheduled the surgery.
He called with the news a few days later. The tumor was malignant. It was so small, about 7 millimeters, that they had to cut and cut and cut. He thought a lumpectomy would work, and took out 15 lymph nodes. Three of the lymph nodes were positive for cancer. The nipple discharge indicated there was more cancer in the milk ducts. It was lobular cancer, which often recurs on the other breast. And the original tumor was very aggressive. Janine says, "With that kind of cancer, even with no lymph node involvement, they would have done chemotherapy." Dr. West recommended a bi-lateral mastectomy as well.
Janine never let cancer interfere with her normal life. She finished law school while doing chemotherapy. During her chemo, she'd find a way to go running, but with the chemo she got slower and slower . . . Still, her husband kept her moving. They both noticed that she was getting what is called chemo-brain. It was a kind of craziness, like being pregnant. For instance, she put a porcelain pepper shaker in the garbage disposal . . . and once, when she was filling the car with gas, she tried to drive away with the gas nozzle still in the car. Eventhough her husband was in law enforcement, he somehow found a way to go with Janine to every chemo session. They rented comedies from Block Buster, and watched them together, laughing. They both felt the laughter was therapeutic.
Before her hair fell out, Janine had a professional make her a light-weight, realistic-looking wig, constructed of thin, breathable material. It was made especially for her, but it was expensive. Her husband was kind enough to shave her head, and because he was already mostly bald, he shaved his own head, too. She says she never wore the wig at night. Sometimes in the morning, before putting on the wig, she went outside to get the newspapers. Her neighbors told her later, "We worried that we were living across the street from a couple of skinheads."
The wig was almost a miracle. She laughs when she tells this story. "A guy in law school said, 'I don't know what you did with your hair, but it's the best hair-do yet." And another lawyer said, "I thought you were losing your hair."
Her hair began to grow out about same time the movie "G.I. Jane" with Demi-Moore premiered. After that, Janine decided, "I'm through with the wig." Soon she had a small, stand-up mantle of fuzz, which almost looked like a crew cut. A woman in a department store said, "I love your hair, how did you get the guts to do that?"
A year and a half later, she says, "It was challenging to once more deal with my own hair. Sometimes I miss that wig. Five minutes after I dressed my hair was ready and I was good to go."
Janine began her breast reconstruction with tissue expanders, which were injected with saline. After months of tissue expanders, Dr. West did the breast reconstruction. Janine says, "I look fine. I wear bikinis, spaghetti straps, and anything I want to."
For seven years, Janine has been seeing her doctor every three to four months and has remained cancer free.
Because of the chemotherapy, Janine couldn't take birth control pills. She was now 38 years old. Suddenly she discovered she was pregnant. After that she was monitored even more closely. They had to keep adjusting her thyroid. At 36 weeks, the doctors found a lump in her breast that was located on top. They did an excisional biopsy - and it wasn't cancer.
Three years ago, she had a perfect little girl. People call her cupie doll . . . a little girl with long blond hair and blue eyes.
In recent months, Janine has learned she has a mutation to the P-ten gene, which increases her risk of all types of cancer by 50%. In the past she'd had uterine fibroids, and nodules on her skin. She was born with the mutation, indicated in part by having an abnormally large head.
Janine's life returned to normal in many ways. "My husband was amazing," she says. At first he helped her take little walks. Finally they were walking 10 miles.
After the baby came, she started her own law firm, doing labor and employment law in the comforts of her home.
Looking back, she says, "At the time I had active cancer, there wasn't any information about cancer in women my age. All the books were about older women." In fact, there wasn't much cancer information for young women . . . period. Women who are young, and fit, and professional can't find much to help them. When I was diagnosed, I was in best shape of my life."
When asked if her daughter might be carrying the recessive gene, Janine says, "For privacy reasons, I can't gene-test my daughter. She has to do it when she's eighteen. But I'm not done with that battle yet."
|
