In 2004, I was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Complete hysterectomy & radiation treatments. June, 2015, went for annual visit with the OBGYN oncologist & had graduated to seeing the PA instead of the doctor. Nothing found. Late September, went for mammogram & had the regular type. The techs asked if I minded being a guinea pig as they were learning their new 3-D mammogram machine. I agreed. Regular mammogram showed nothing. 3-D showed a tumor. Sent to breast surgeon for biopsy. Ductile carcinoma...also in sentinel lymph node.Triple negative, grade 3. Breast surgeon sent me to oncologist specializing in breast cancer. 6 rounds of ACT chemotherapy. Tumors (MRI found 2) shrunk to virtually nothing. Recurrence rates about the same with lumpectomy or mastectomy, surgeon recommended lumpectomy & lymph node removal. Surgery on April 15th. Cancer in tumors dead. Cancer in sentinel lymph node dead but lymph node number 2...live cancer cells. Took out 5 more lymph nodes...cancer free. Having 33 radiation treatments. When finished, 8 months of oral chemo (xeloda) just to make sure none of those nasty little buggers migrated anywhere. I currently feel wonderful except for fatigue...have to take a lot of breaks. I am a walking machine...walk a few miles everyday (at several intervals, not all at once). Lost weight, am eating a healthy, vegetable laden diet (while I was on chemo, I craved red meat and greens, so that's mostly what I ate!) And of the utmost importance to me, I had people praying for me all over the world! Knowing that they cared enough to do this for me, kept my spirits up & I have only had 3 meltdowns during all this (& the chemo was BRUTAL). I believe that the positive attitude, prayers, diet and exercise have kept me feeling good! (I was, and still am, overweight....just in case you think I was a health nut who had good habits...NO).Say nothing but hopeful, positive things to yourself no matter how bad the diagnosis...it makes everything better! My wish for all of you is faith, family, friends, peace, hope, love and big hugs!

Vanessa Dixon
Snow Hill, NC