Fabulously Fighting: Living with Cancer Through Love, Laughter, and Honesty.

By Fabianna Marie

With a brand-new baby and feeling as if her life was falling
into place, Fabianna Marie was diagnosed with not only an
autoimmune disease that was damaging her organs but was just handed
the diagnosis of breast cancer at age twenty-seven.
Fabianna was a new mother and a wife who felt no longer in control
of her life. Cancer had the wheel and wasn’t letting go. Fabianna Marie
was searching for a book about breast cancer that wasn’t full of medical
jargon that scared the crap out of her. She wanted a book that would
help her cope with everyday life.
The last eleven years of battling cancer have been a journey during
which she has learned how to live each day with love, laughter, and
honesty. Fabianna hopes that sharing her story can be that resource for
others she didn’t have.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Nov 4, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524647193

Fabianna Marie

Fabianna Marie was diagnosed at age of twenty-seven with stage 2 breast cancer. After a partial mastectomy, reconstruction, and sixteen rounds of chemotherapy, she thought she would hear the words “You’re cancer free.” In fact, the cancer returned after a mere three months, and she is now fighting BRCA1 positive invasive metastatic breast cancer. Having endured more than 150 rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, and a deteriorating kidney, Fab fights every day and has chosen to share her journey with the world in hopes of inspiring anyone facing adversity. Fabianna shares her journey through her blog at HYPERLINK “http://www.fabulouslyfighting.com” www.fabulouslyfighting.com. She’s also on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. She is a national speaker and shares her story at charity cancer and fundraising events as well as part of a national ad campaign for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Fabianna is an award-winning photographer, public speaker, and writer. She’s been featured in the viral Huffington Post Video about living with cancer and has a variety of talents as she is a former model and entertainer. She has degrees in liberal arts and business and certifications in raw, vegetarian, and vegan cuisine and naturopathic healing. Fabianna resides in the Granite State with David, her husband of sixteen years, Mackenzie, their twelve-year-old daughter, and Prince, the wonder silky terrier.

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© 2016 Shanna Clarke Pinet. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 11/04/2016

ISBN: 978-1-5246-4720-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-4718-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-4719-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016917830

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Preface

Chapter 1 Fabianna vs. Cancer

Chapter 2 Dave vs. Cancer

Chapter 3 Us vs. Cancer

Chapter 4 Positive Thinking vs. Cancer

Chapter 5 Body Acceptance vs. Cancer

Chapter 6 The Outside World

Chapter 7 Life Support

Chapter 8 Balance vs. Cancer

Chapter 9 Parenthood vs. Cancer

Chapter 10 You Are What You Eat

Chapter 11 Where Do We Go from Here?

About the Author

PREFACE

T his book started long before any words hit the page. When I was a girl, I loved to read fairy tales and to write and tell stories. When I was a teenager and real life was not sunshine and rainbows, I thought , No one will believe all I’ve been through . Then I became an adult with many more stories about my childhood, teenage years, and of course my health problems.

This book is a manifestation of a childhood dream I had of writing my life story and inspiring others. I didn’t know that cancer would be the dragon in my fairy tale. This book has been therapeutic for me, and I hope it is for all who read it. The lack of books on the market that actually dealt with living with cancer and the large number of books that scare people with the gory details of the disease are the inspiration behind this book.

I have so many people to thank for their collaboration in this book including my husband, who has been my rock and sounding board for the past nineteen years. I took the advice of my mother and married my best friend. Dave, you are indeed my best friend, the love of my life, and forever my soul mate.

My beautiful daughter, Mackenzie, you are truly the soul of this book. The reason I fight so hard every day is to be able to see your face and the amazing things I know you’ll accomplish in your life. You’re wiser than your years and smarter than you give yourself credit for. The amount of passion and talent you have is magical. I hope this book inspires you as much as you inspired me to write it.

My beautiful and humble best friend, Jodi—this book wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for your talents and constant editing. I don’t know how you stayed sane through this. Every step of the way, you have been my confidant, my sounding board, and my fairy godmother. Words can’t express what your friendship, your love, and your undying support mean to me. You’re an angel, and I’m truly grateful you chose me as your best friend.

My parents, your love has never wavered even through some of the toughest times. You have shown me what being a parent truly is. You two are my heroes. Mom, your spirit and light have guided me in more ways than one. You have shown me that a woman’s mind should be the most beautiful thing about her. You have shown me what a strong woman looks like, and for that I’m eternally grateful.

Dad, you held me when I cried, shined with pride when I succeeded, and had faith even when I failed. You never lost hope that there was always more for me. You taught me to stand up for what I believe in, gave me roots, handed me wings to fly, and taught me anything’s possible. You’re not only my dad, you’re also my best friend. I’m proud to say I am your daughter, and I’m proud of the woman you have always encouraged me to be.

My Fabulous Fighters, a community of fellow survivors, fighters, and inspirers. You amaze me everyday with your courage and strength. I hope this book brings comfort, understanding, and love. We are in this together. This is a sorority no one signed up for but a sisterhood I feel blessed to be a part of. We are a tribe of Fabulous Fighters!

CHAPTER 1

Fabianna vs. Cancer

T he year 2004 was a great one for us. Dave and I had been happily married for four years, our beautiful daughter, Mackenzie, was born in April that year, and we had just purchased our first home.

It was also the year I was diagnosed with lupus. I had no idea then just how that diagnosis would turn into a landslide of appointments, surgeries, and a diagnosis of metastatic, BRCA1 positive, triple-negative, invasive breast cancer.

This will be the only chapter in which I talk about the nitty-gritty of my disease and diagnosis. I was twenty-seven when I was diagnosed, and I was searching for a book about breast cancer that wasn’t full of all the medical jargon that scared the crap out of me. I wanted a book that would help me understand how I could get through everyday life. I had a one-year-old daughter, I was a wife, and I felt I was no longer in control of my life. Cancer had the wheel and wasn’t letting go.

The last eleven years of battling cancer has been a journey during which I have learned how to live each day with love, laughter, and honesty. I hope my story can be that resource for others I didn’t have.

I am Fabianna. Cancer is what I have, not who I am. This is my story.

During my pregnancy, I knew something was wrong. I had unexplained weight gain, swollen feet too big for my shoes, and headaches to the point of being bedridden for days at a time. Call it a mother’s intuition, but the night I gave birth to my beautiful girl, I knew my body couldn’t handle having another one.

Months after having Mackenzie and after numerous tests, the doctor finally diagnosed me with a condition called lupus, an autoimmune disease that attacks your organs. As if adjusting to a newborn wasn’t enough, I’d have to adjust to a life of health concerns. Much thought was put into our next steps in the process of health care. One option that came up was undergoing breast-reduction surgery. I had ginormous breasts (triple D), and the weight on my joints was making the pain the disease caused that much worse.

I had a consultation with a plastic surgeon a little over a year after Mackenzie was born. Meeting this doctor forever changed my life. After filling out the intake forms and having the standard breast exam, the doctor recommended I have a mammogram to cover all our bases. Looking back now, I think he must have felt something during the exam because I felt something after all this happened.

After the mammogram, I was instructed to sit in the waiting room while they checked the films. Ten to fifteen minutes later, the nurse came out and told me I was being sent for an ultrasound. Oh yeah. Did I mention I was alone? Who wants her husband to miss a day of work for just a consultation? During the ultrasound, my doctor, this man I had just met, told me there was cause for concern as they were seeing something. He strongly recommended a needle biopsy.

All this happened within two hours. I felt like a pincushion, the subject of a science experiment. I was told I’d be called later that day with the results and that we’d go from there. I sat in the car and cried for fifteen minutes before pulling myself together. I realized I had to face telling my parents, who were taking care of my daughter at home.

The whole way home, I went back and forth: Do I tell them? Do I wait? Do I scare them with this news that may not even be news? I knew I had to wait to hear from the doctor before telling them anything. After my parents left the house, I sat with Mackenzie in my lap. I was frozen. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t stop holding her. I couldn’t stop praying that this was a bad dream I’d simply wake up from. Why wasn’t Dave here with me? How will I explain to him what transpired at my appointment? I was startled out of my thoughts by the phone. I carefully picked up the receiver as if it were a bomb about to go off. The analogy is priceless.

Yes, I understand what you’re saying, Doctor. I have cancer.

I hung up the phone. I wondered if that was how doctors told people they had cancer. How do people handle this? I looked at my one-year-old daughter, this beautiful soul who had