Cheri Haggard

diagnosed 10/1/2003

A few years ago I noticed a lump in my left breast, just above the nipple. It was about the size of a pencil eraser. My doctor, Dr. Clayton, had a hard time finding it even after I showed him where it was. He sent me to a cancer specialist just to check it out.

Dr. Snyder looked at it and tried to extract fluid but was unable to do that. He said it acted just like a cyst, to come back if it got larger.

Spring of 2003 it felt like maybe it was a little larger, but maybe not. It's just a cyst; it's nothing. But still, maybe I should have better insurance. Our current insurance covered hospital only.

We had trouble switching to a new insurance. Corte tested borderline anemic so they refused him. It took a few more months to work it out. Finally, I made an appointment for October 1st when my new insurance took effect. I was guessing that nothing was wrong but I felt better about having good insurance. (If I had known I had cancer, I would have made a low deductible instead of $5000 - yikes!)

So I went in to see the doctor.

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ryan never had trouble with the whole situation. becca was a little distraught when i told her i was going to lose my hair. she said, "oh, don't do that mommy. it will look ugly and everyone will laugh at you." kind of tells you she was a six year old girl, doesn't it? i'm glad we talked about it early, because by the time it happened, she was almost excited for this "something new and unique" that was going on - "did your hair fall out yet?" we had a lot of fun with it (you know, you have to make the best of every situation). i got to wear a santa hat a lot during christmas time. we wore matching wigs to go to a new year's eve party - mine was hot purple and becca's was hot pink. we made funny pictures on the computer using my bald head as the canvas. we made it through. but i'm really glad to have my hair back - even if it is all wavy and i don't know what to do with it.