A difficult road
"If you are diagnosed, there's nothing you can do about it but go through the steps."
These are the words of Susan Louwrens (58) who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012.
“It is an incredibly difficult time in your life to go through, but with faith, family and friends you have all you need,” says Susan.
Susan had her mastectomy on July 28, 2012 and went through with the chemotherapy three months later.
She finished chemo in December of last year and is now on hormone treatment, going for a check-up every six months.
“It is truly not something I would wish anyone to go through, sometimes it gets unbearable and you feel that you just want to give up.”
She told the Addie that if it wasn’t for her daughter especially, she doesn’t know what she would have done.
Her daughter left her job to care for her ill mother and, at the time, her young baby daughter.
“You should always take someone with you when you are going for treatment,” says Susan.
She says you can get badly injured if you are on your own due to the chemo making you feel dazed.
There are four different stages of chemotherapy, the level of cancer determines whether it will be the high or low chemo treatment you would have to undergo.
After chemo comes radiation.
The area where the body gets radiated should never get wet as this can cause extra problems such as the skin tearing off.
Susan says you should protect your nails against the radiation by applying black Cutex.
“This is what saved my nails from being damaged,” she says.
She adds that if this is what you are currently going through, you must always remain hopeful and be strong.
“The strength of your family and friends are essential during this time.”
