“We Can Do Hard Things” - My Journey Through Cancer
Written By: Brandi Laughter
Hi, my name is Brandi Laughter and I was diagnosed two years ago with breast cancer. That statement is still hard to say out loud.
Two years ago I was getting ready to turn forty years old. So what do you do when you turn forty? Schedule that mammogram! A local nonprofit organization called Nothing Pink was having a mammogram event. I was a busy Mom to three active boys, a wife to a hard-working husband, and a preschool teacher to some pretty awesome four and five-year-olds. We were also deep into the pandemic, but thankfully I took the time to get that scan.
The report showed that additional imaging was needed. Several scans and biopsies later, I was told I had invasive lobular carcinoma. My particular type was ER/PR + and HER2 -. That is when the spiral of appointments started happening. I quickly became a patient on the oncology side of the hospital at forty years old. After consulting with an oncologist surgeon, we decided that a bilateral mastectomy was in my best interest. That is when grief set in. I was going to have body parts removed from my body that I didn't want to have removed, but knew I had to.
I had the surgery. When pathology came back we found out I had atypical cells in the left breast as well as three lymph nodes that had cancer in them. That bumped me into the chemotherapy and radiation side of things. Here came the grief again. I lost my hair, went into menopause, and had to learn how to say ‘yes’ to people helping. I also had to take a year off of work because those little preschoolers didn't need to witness what these treatments do to someone's body. My husband took a different job that enabled him to be home more. My boys learned how to help more around the house. Just like that, life became really different.
There were days that it was hard to function but we realized quickly, "We can do hard things." That statement has rung true and given us hope many times. After several surgeries, treatments, countless scans, and a daily hormone blocker that I will be taking for several years, I am happy to say at this time that I look to be cancer free.
My journey has lit a spark in me of how important it is for others to hear my story. I am grateful to share it with you. There is alot behind that pink ribbon. There are stories that are all different, yet the same. There are surgeries people didn't want, body changes you didn't ask for, and strength that you didn't know you had. So when you celebrate this month known as Pinktober, remember your ‘Why.’ Let someone's story be the reason you take action. Be a doer for someone going through it. Be a doer by getting your scan on a regular basis. Be a doer by being proactive if something doesn't feel right. Be a doer by asking questions to understand. Be a doer by donating towards a local nonprofit that gives right back into your community.
I thank God everyday that I am still here to enjoy watching my boys play ball. So many aren't given that privilege. Not a day goes by that I don't think about where we came from and what we lived through. It didn't happen to us, but for us. So much good has come in these last two years. I have learned to embrace my scars and body changes. I am here and thankful to be able to share my story with you.
Brandi Laughter is Care and Support Facilitator for Nothing Pink.org. For more information on Nothing Pink, visit their website: https://www.nothingpink.org/