How my Battle Began

My name is Lisa Jenkins and I am a breast cancer survivor. In May of 2003 during a regular self breast exam I found a lump in my left breast, I was 32 years old. It was so tiny, I thought, "Surely this can't be what I think it is." I mean it felt like it couldn't have been bigger than the ball in a ballpoint pen, it didn't hurt, and it didn't move. So I forgot about it for the next five days, then curiosity got the better of me and I did another self-exam and it was considerably bigger than the last time I'd felt it. Then I got scared, really scared. I made an appointment with my doctor and when he felt the lump he sent me to get a mammogram. I got my mammogram, not the most comfortable thing I've ever done and my doctor's suspicions were confirmed...

This is where my story begins. The whole experience was painful and terrible and more frightening than anything I've ever been through and at the same time it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I learned a lot about myself, who I am, the kind of person I was and the kind of person I want to be. I hope that through my story more women will learn the importance of knowing their bodies and of self breast examinations, because If I can help just one other woman save her own life everything I went through will be 100% worth it.

A Little History

I moved to Dallas, TX from Los Angeles, CA in November of 2000. I didn't know a soul, I just needed a change, and so I packed all my things and came to Dallas. I loved it here and still do, I met great people and had a fun job and life was good. Now you must understand that the only reason that I bothered to do self breast exams is because my Grandfather was a doctor and I knew from a very young age that that's what I was supposed to do. Also, because my Papa was a doctor, it meant that most of my experiences with doctors, especially for anything serious, were friends of the family. So I'm somewhat new to Dallas, I don't really have much of a support group, and the first time I have to go to the doctor for more than just a cold it's to be diagnosed with breast cancer.

That Damn Mamogram

I went to get the mammogram, I was so scared. I sat there in the waiting room all alone, my mind going from positive to terrifying. They called me in and I but on that silly paper gown, as if pink paper is going to make you feel better about having you boob smashed between to freezing cold plates, and had my mammogram. The nurse went and did her thing and I got dressed, the whole time thinking, "That wasn't so bad."

When the nurse came back in I expected her to tell me everything was fine, tell me that I could go ahead and go home. That's not what happened. She asked me to have a seat and wait for the doctor (never a good sign), and that's when I really started to lose it. My mind was going at about 1,000 miles a second. When the doctor came in he said (and I kid you not), "Yep, that's a malignant tumor." What! I started to cry and he told me not to get all in a twitter. Are you kidding me didn't you just hand down a death sentence you jerk! I didn't say that, but I really wanted to.

Crying I went to my car and called my Mom back home in California...