Cancer Journey Sharing of Violeta C. Reyes

MY JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF CANCER

By: Violeta C. Reyes

Nov. 19, 2020

January 2018

I had a little wound on the tip of my right nipple. It was not painful, just annoying. I tried antibiotic ointment but it just crusted then fell apart again to reveal a new tiny wound.

I ignored it. There was so much work to be done. I handled our family business. I needed to attend to my daughter’s needs and keep my household running. In short, my family needed me so much. I’m their supermom. My staff needed me. I’m superwoman to the people around me.

April 2018

I woke up one morning, as I turned I felt something hard on my right breast. I palpated it and felt a big hard lump. It seemed something grew within me overnight. I had a hunch of bad omen. My son told me to go to my doctor, Dr. Reynaldo Joson ASAP.

May 16,2018

I got my breast ultrasound result. The report was BIRADS Category V: Biopsy correlation suggested. I knew it was bad news.

May 24, 2018

I received the needle biopsy result performed by Dr. Joson on me. It was confirmed. I’m positive for carcinoma consistent with ductal carcinoma.

Despite my suspicion to the truth, my mind went blank. I felt numb. For the first time in my life I felt so powerless and empty, but I kept my composure. My family must not see my pain. I had to be strong. I needed to remember that I’m supermom.

The calm voice of Dr. Joson brought me back to my senses. He carefully explained all my available options. But the bottom line was I needed to undergo modified radical mastectomy with complete axillary lymphadectomy.

June 2, 2018

My life status has changed. I’m now a patient. I have to submit myself for treatment. I have to let go of all my obligations and work. I need to walk this journey. For a time being, I have to forget that I’m superwoman. I left my fate in hands of God and my doctors.

I had my mastectomy scheduled at 6 am. I was greeted by the nurses, my anesthesiologist and Dr. Joson before I went unconscious. As narrated by one of the nurses in the recovery room, I woke up shouting in pain. I was given a pain reliever shot before I gained consciousness again. But again, I was complaining with shoulder pain which puzzled me and the nurses. I remember I understood, it was not supposed to be painful after the surgery. When my son’s friend, Dr. Alexis Montemayor visited me, he calmed me down by explaining how the surgery was done, that a small pillow was placed underneath my shoulder during the operation which might have caused the pain. That if the pain won’t go away after a couple of months, I can have rehab therapy to fix my shoulder pain.

June 3, 2018 and after

I was discharged from the hospital. My right arm radiated with bolts of electric pain. Knife cutting pains would shot from my hand to my armpit. My shoulder cracked every time I tried to move. I was taking strong pain killers that didn’t seem to work. I endured through the pain. I slept on a sitting position for more than a week because I could hardly breathe when I lay down. A family member stayed with me, assisting me 24/7. When I finally felt stronger, despite the pains, I started doing stretching exercises. Despite my painful shoulder and arm, my surgery wound healed well. Dr. Joson was amazing.

June 22, 2018

My diagnosis was breast cancer stage 3B, HER-2/NEU POSITIVE with lymphovascular invasion. I needed a full dose of treatment: 8 chemotherapy, radiation and 18 cycle of trastuzumab (Herceptin) targeted therapy. Another painful reality for me.

I just heard my neighbor who was operated after being diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer died a few weeks ago after her 2^nd chemotherapy.

I was thinking, is chemo really deadly? Why do patients die? Was it the treatment itself or the patient’s lack of health care?

July 3, 2018

I started chemotherapy and radiation treatment in PGH Cancer Institute. A tiring experience of dread and pain throughout the journey. My left hand showed multiple needle puncture marks. My arm showed signs of vein damage. From my fright for needles, my senses became dull and numb. Before, I felt like fainting whenever I get an injection, but now needles being pricked on my hand and arm are just routines. I would just look straight into blood being drawn from my arm. I no longer felt that much pain, maybe because my emotional pain is deeper.

During my chemo days I walked my path with faith in my heart. I tried to live each day one step at a time. I read about my disease as much I can. For me fear is when you don’t know what’s unknown. I need knowledge to conquer my fear. If I can understand what’s happening to me, then I can respond and face my treatment bravely without fear.

I talked to fellow cancer patients in PGH Cancer Institute. I listened to their experiences and gained more courage to face what was coming. I suffered from chemo burns, heartburns, acid reflux, and indigestion and body pains. I lost my sense of taste but that did not stop me from eating. To make sure my chemo will work smoothly, I learned how to self-inject Filgrastim on my belly fat. I needed to learn this skill after my white blood cell plunged to critical level which made the laboratory giving me an emergency call.

I lost my hair, but I tried to look decent by using bandanas to boost my self confidence. I posted my experiences in my social media, entertaining call from other cancer patients. I decided to help and encourage other patients to take care of their health and take a positive outlook.

March 26, 2019

I got another scare when I received result of my chest CT scan showing suspicion of metastasis to the lungs. I was so confused and frustrated. I was still undergoing Herceptin therapy, yet I have metastasis to my lungs! Have all my efforts and sufferings gone to waste? My oncologist suggested I get a PET CT scan so see a clearer picture.

May 31, 2019

Fate played another joke on me. I don’t have metastasis to the lungs but I had kidney cancer. A secondary primary cancer called clear cell renal carcinoma. What depressed me most was when I found out that my left kidney which have a better function was the one invaded with cancer, leaving my right kidney with 35 GFR function to bear the filtering job in my body. I was told to undergo immediate kidney surgery, a decision which I have to accept before it was too late for me to survive.

I was still undergoing Trastuzumab chemotherapy and it needed to be temporarily stopped despite whatever consequences that may arise because of the treatment disruption. I asked a thousand times if I will proceed with the surgery and be handicapped for the rest of my life as a chronic kidney disease (CKD) patient living with a life of dialysis? Or will I just stop here and rest instead of embarking into another life war? Me, as a supermom, can I overcome this quest?

I wanted to give up but my family don’t want me to leave. I decided to live for them because I love them. I decided to give another fight.

July 16, 2019 and after

I had radical nephrectomy. I was hooked up with morphine epidural line for 2 days leaving me with rashes but everything went well. I recovered quickly and went back to my normal life, eating a balanced meal, working moderately and enjoying my 3^rd life . I finished my trastuzumab therapy in October 2019. Miraculously, my right kidney did not deteriorate. My right kidney GFR function improved and I gained back my health.

March 2020 and after

During this COVID 19 pandemic, I was happy that I am blessed and healthy. In my own small way, to be able to give back. My family and friends were able to collate enough funds for PPE donations to PGH. We were able to partner with several donors in making PPEs with low affordable cost distributed to provincial hospitals.

Thank you Dr Reynaldo Joson, for coming to my life as my first line of rescue. Because you saved me, I decided to treasure this gift of life from God.