TAKE YOUR LIFE BACK

By Ruth Simil

This book is dedicated to all the women and men who are struggling and have struggled with the challenges of breast cancer. I wanted to recognize all the people who lost the battle with cancer due to this dreadful illness. I want to thank all my friends and family for their constant support and for being presen

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ruth Simil, BSN, RN.
• Release date: May 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781087931296

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Copyright@ 2023 by Ruth Simil, BSN, RN

All rights reserved.  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

All rights reserved.  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author.

Thank you for respecting the work of the author.

Ruth Simil, Registered Nurse

Breast Cancer Coaching & Consulting

TAKE YOUR LIFE BACK

For Roosvelt, Adrianna, Maranda, Isabelle, and Nadia &

In loving memory of my sister Doretha

Introduction

​This book is dedicated to all the women and men who are struggling and have struggled with the challenges of breast cancer.  I wanted to recognize all the people who lost the battle with cancer due to this dreadful illness.  I want to thank all my friends and family for their constant support and for being present in our lives.  Last, but not least, I want to thank God for keeping and protecting me.  He has given me strength in my body and a message from my heart, to help others who are suffering from cancer by explaining how to walk through this journey in peace and without fear.

​The book is an introduction to the world of cancer and how it changes a person into someone they don’t recognize.  The book will address the side effects of chemotherapy, statistical measures, how to decrease risk, sexuality, mental well-being, self-care, and a host of other topics.  It’s uplifting as people try to regain their health and take back their lives.  You will learn to live with the disease and appreciate life more than ever before.  The book is energetic and takes you into areas that are thought-provoking.  The goal is to be happy right where you are today.  

I am a registered nurse with 28 years of experience, who has spent the last 10 years working with patients in an oncology center as a care manager.  I have worked with all types of cancers, especially breast cancer.  I wanted the experience in the area because I am 18 years triple-negative breast cancer survivor.  Those 18 years have not been a walk in the park. The cancer had returned three times.  It was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life.  I lived this journey every day, and I would like to encourage and motivate other people who are going through the same journey on how to get to feeling well again. 

In this book, I want to share my story and help you with recovery.  I will teach you how to live again.  I will teach you acceptance of the new you.  Let’s celebrate taking your life back!

My Story

In 2005, I was a busy mom, grandma, wife, part-time student, and a full-time nurse. I acted like I was a superwoman.  I was raising my last baby; she was nine years old.  I was also raising my first grandchild.  He was also nine years old.  They were born in the same month and year.  I had to raise him because my oldest daughter had him at age 18 and she was not ready to be a parent. I got him soon after birth.  He was a premature infant weighing 2.4 pounds and had many challenges. I was the on-call hospice nurse for my agency.  I worked at night and attended college during the day while the kids were at school and my husband was at work.  I got very little sleep and if it was a busy night, I was on the road all night attending to patients. Sometimes, I didn’t get any sleep at all.  That was how I rolled. I couldn’t sleep during the day. The daylight just would not shut my brain down.  On top of my busy schedule, being the caregiver that I always was, I was caring for my elderly mother. 

One day, after taking a shower, I was doing my normal self-breast exam (yes, I did them all the time) and felt a firm line on my right breast.  I called my primary doctor to make her aware of my discovery.  She asked me to come in for an ultrasound.  During the ultrasound, they did a needle biopsy of the linear mass.  Even though it was just a needle biopsy, it really hurt.  I had to ice the area and keep a dressing on it.  My doctor assured me that it was nothing to worry about.  So, I didn’t worry about it. 

The Shocking News

Two weeks had passed since the biopsy. I was out with my mother taking her to one of her many doctor’s appointments.  My phone rang as I sat waiting for my mother at the eye specialist at Massachusetts Eye & Ear.  It was my primary doctor.  She asked if I was in a place where we could talk.  I told her where I was and what I was doing with my mother.  The doctor sounded very serious.  She asked me to call her back when I got to a quiet place so we could talk.  I became impatient, so I walked outside of the building so that we could talk.  I insisted that I was ready to hear what she had to tell me.  She paused and then said the biopsy results were back and the test was positive for breast cancer.

At that moment, I did not hear anything else that the doctor said to me.  Her voice sounded like Charlie Brown’s teacher in the cartoon … Wawa Wawa in my ear.  I was in a complete state of shock. I saw my life flashing in front of my eyes. I did not remember anything she said other than, You have cancer.  I hung up the phone not realizing all the instructions she had given me that day. I did not hear any of it.  I had to call her office and she went over everything again.  She had referred me to get a CT scan, a breast surgeon, and an oncologist.

The Emotional Toll

On the drive home with my mother, I was very quiet. It felt like the ride was longer than ever and we would never get home that day.  I did not share any information with