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October/November 2008
Surviving Breast Cancer a Personal Experience
Marietta resident Judy Baker feels there is not one specific way to recover after breast cancer. Baker was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ in October of 1996. Baker’s breast cancer was not discovered through lumps, but rather through little white dots that showed up on mammogram x-rays.
Being diagnosed with breast cancer hit close to home for Baker as her mother had been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and it ended up taking her life. “Mine was not [invasive] luckily. We caught it before it became invasive,” Baker said.
Even though her mother was a victim of breast cancer, it was determined that Baker’s own breast cancer was not caused by genetics. “Hers was a lump and mine was Ductal Carcinoma In Situ, so it was different,” she said.
But catching the cancer was not as simple as it seemed. “I had no clue there was anything there,” Baker said before having the mammogram. After white dots were found through the mammogram, Baker had a biopsy that came back “seemingly o.k.” she said. However, after two more biopsies over the next three years on the same breast Baker’s doctor decided that a mastectomy would need to be performed.
Baker was then faced with a decision. Did she want to have one breast removed and keep the other, or would a bi-lateral mastectomy be the best thing to do? After much deliberation Baker decided to have a bi-lateral even though there were no problems with her other breast. “All [my doctor] could say was that medically there was no reason to do a bi-lateral mastectomy,” she said.
Baker made the decision on her way home from Columbus based James Cancer Center. Baker said she went to the Cancer Cancer because of her mother’s experience, as well as a recommendation from one of her doctors in order to determine if her cancer was genetic.
“If I have both taken I won’t ever have to worry about [breast cancer] again,” Baker reasoned. After that realization, there was no doubt in her mind that she would have both breasts removed, she said. The bi-lateral mastectomy was done six years ago this past August.
Baker said after her first biopsy she had to have radiation treatments at Marietta’s Strecker Cancer Center, which was difficult. But even though radiation was difficult, she was happy not to have to go through chemotherapy treatment. “I was lucky that way,” she said. During radiation Baker “put her thoughts elsewhere” in order to deal with the pain.
“When you go through something like this you just do it because it’s something you have to do and you want to get through it and get done and move on with your life,” Baker said.
Even though Baker is faced with her decision every time she has to take off her clothes and look in a mirror, she doesn’t regret her decision to have the bi-lateral. “I want to do as much as I possibly can as soon as possible,” was her thought after surgery. Since having the surgery Baker has realized how important travel is to her, and making the best of life. “There is a lot to offer and we are here too short as it is,” she said.
Baker’s determination to get on with her life showed. After being home from surgery Baker had to return to the doctor to have her drainage tube taken out a week later. She ended up walking home from the doctor’s office that day. “I asked Dr. White (who was her surgeon) if I could walk home, so I walked home,” she said.
Baker said since her surgery physical activity has been very important to her as well. She runs and walks on a daily basis. “I try to eat right, but it’s not easy,” she admitted. When she has the chance, her and her husband also go hiking and bicycle riding.
There was one more decision Baker had to make, however. “I had to decide on the issue of re-constructive surgery,” she said. “Every woman is different this way. I chose not to.” Baker added that mastectomy and re-construction are very personal decisions. “Just because I chose one way doesn’t mean that it’s right for everybody by any means,” she said.
Baker has supported various breast cancer initiatives through sponsored walks, the Marietta Memorial Hospital Strecker Cancer Center and the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Every Tuesday and Thursday evening Baker participates in dragon boating on the Ohio river geared toward the memory of local breast cancer victim Gretchen Feldmaier who died two years ago. “This was her dream,” Baker said.
Dragon boating is free to the public. Dragon boats leave from the Marietta College boathouse at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. Baker said boating lasts about half an hour. The first official dragon boat races are scheduled to take place in Pittsburgh, PA in October.
“The whole purpose of [dragon boating] is camaraderie and sharing. We are a group of men and women who get together because of the cause. Not all of us are breast cancer survivors, but many of us are,” Baker said.
Judy Baker has been an Independent Agent with family-owned Baker & Associates in Marietta, Ohio for 23 years. She works with life insurance and investments, and her husband Joe works with health insurance.
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