This past summer SheWired contributor and our friend Tatum de Roeck was diagnosed with breast cancer. The co-host of Cherry Bomb and of her own interview style show on SheWired T-Time with Tatum began blogging about her experience shortly after her diagnosis. Via her writing, she shares the intimate details of taking breast cancer one step at a time in a blog that is incredibly emotional and moving but always infused with Tatum's lightning-quick wit and her ability to remain positive.
Tatum has graciously agreed to share her story with readers as we embark on October, Breast Cancer Awareness month. We will be posting her blogs on SheWired throughout the month.
Glasses Up- Written on June 25, 2011
On Monday I was officially radioactive for two hours. The doctors injected me with radioactive glucose and scanned me. The injectible came out of a heavy metal container that looked like a tiny vat and had its own metal box. All I could think of was ‘plutonium’ from Back to the Future. The carrier case did not have dry ice coming from it, but looked like it should.
The reason they inject the radioactive glucose is because tumours love the extra energy sugar provides. During the scan the doctors follow where the glucose travels in my body. Any cancer in my body should glow. They did a PET scan and CT scan at the same time.
On Tuesday I went to have my breasts bi-laterally MRI’ed. I was also injected with another weird concoction; it wasn’t radioactive so I couldn’t legitimately do my Godzilla impression.
The results came back and the cancer is just in my breast. It doesn’t look like it has spread to the rest of my body and it doesn’t look like it touched the lymph nodes. This is all excellent news and definitely worthy of celebrating with a positivity drink. Mine this morning is a smart water but I am raising it up with a smile and a cheers.
I wanted to share as soon as I could; I am on someone else’s computer and have to run to yoga class now. I will update with more news soon.
You can follow Tatum on her blog here.
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