Invasive Lobular Carcinoma, My Sister Has What?

by Kris Pitcher

While instant messages were circulating facebook with instructions to post a heart, then IM friends who would also post a heart...in a silent movement of support for breast cancer, my family was navigating the news my sister has breast cancer. My big sister, has cancer.

We have history of cancer in our family. So you expect to hear news about relatives...distant relatives. You don't expect to hear "cancer" and "sister" in the same breath. Yet, so it is. She has a slow growing, treatable, yet messy in terms of shape, situation.

My big sis, Megan

She has a resilient and positive spirit. She also gets sh*t done. She has navigated her medical care, received second opinions, done countless tests, and next is her first round of treatment. Today she'll undergo surgery.

Her husband is an amazing rock of a man, and together they've done lots of hard things. You know me, I tell you, "Hard things are hard." It's true. Hard things are hard, and this is no exception.

What's remarkable to me is the way she has chosen to see and tackle this. I hear a lot of whining from people in a variety of different settings. Why is this happening to me? Life is unfair? I can't do this? Why can't I eat cupcakes? I want to quit? Nobody likes me? Waaaa!

Guess what? There's no time for any of that when you are faced with this kind of reality. You gather information, and you get it done. And you get it done with hope, light, confidence, happiness, a sense of control, determination, and you surround yourself with knowledge and support.

You can cover your head and be a victim surrendering to your "fate". OR, you can face things head on with a positive attitude of hope and success. You can choose to be happy, informed, and in control.

She is committed to doing everything in her power to control her environment, her nutrition, her activity up to and in her future. And her sense of determination is like no other.

I wish her love, light, and success today as she tackles this step in her treatment. Moving forward, you take one piece of information at a time, and make decisions based on what you know. You learn, you immerse yourself...you face your right now.

Face your reality, control your environment, commit to whatever it might take to tackle things, choose support, knowledge and happiness. And love and light will surround you too.