He tried to hold me back,
He forgot even though my health is poor, FAITH -I do not lack.
My muscles and bones he made weak,
My prayers to the sky I began to tweak.
Disease he ran through my blood and brain,
"Jesus" I called, "Keep me sane"
Cancer he called into my breast,
Jesus is my Savior- That is why I am able to tell you the rest.
That devil still tries to inflict this pain on body every day,
Yet God awakens me - so I say
"Thank you Jesus- for I know
With you I can continue to go
He will never bring me down so low
For your rewards I will always sow  

!

In August 2002 I found a lump in my right breast.  I had an ultra sound and a biopsy done.  They said they would call me in three days with the results; I received a call the next day.

The intern that called said the doctor needed to see me in the office the next day and would not give me any details over the phone.  He greeted me right after I checked in with the nurse the next day; he went over my chart and looked lost for words.  I helped him out; by telling him I already figured my results were positive.  He seemed so relieved.  I told him when I got my three day phone call the next day that was a dead giveaway.

My surgeon came in the exam room shortly after and we went over the game plan.  He told me how it was going to be pretty simple.  Little did he know, he was dealing with Theresa Johnson, nothing simple here?

I was scheduled and had a lumpectomy in November 2002.  My surgery found three positive lymph nodes plus margins for more cancer.  The type of cancer I had was her2 neu pos the most aggressive around and at the time they had no cure for it.

Every time I think back on it I realize how wonderful my doctors truly were.  They spoke of clinical trial and such, I never worried.

Shortly after Durham had a bad ice storm and my treatment was on hold for awhile.
I went on chemotherapy every two weeks from February 2003 to April 2003 to shrink the tumor some.

In June I was scheduled for surgery- another lumpectomy- all set to go but the surgeon did not like the way my chest x-ray from pre-op looked so he ordered a CAT scan and told me to come back the end of the week for the surgery.  Soon as I got in my driveway from Durham he called my cell phone and told me to come back to the hospital.  The CAT scan showed something and I will be staying.  

The CAT scan found a blood clot in my leg.  I was fitted with a temporary filter and blood thinners.  They did the surgery three days later, but I opted for a mastectomy, I could not take another lumpectomy with margins.  

The mastectomy found 4 out of 25 nodes positive.

I had intensive radiation therapy every day from August 2003- October 2003.  An infection was starting just as therapy was ending.

A cure for her2neu was on the market and I started it once a week from December 2003 to March 2004.

That was the beginning of my journey-  

By the Grace of God I am able to tell you about it today October 15, 2008 CANCER FREE!

(C)I cherish this life I live.  I thank God for it every day.
People may think I am crazy but if you were in my shoes you would understand.
I have lived with a lot of pain and illnesses and would not trade it for nothing in the world.  I have learned so much because of it and I meet so many good people that never would have crossed my path otherwise.
I seen sides of the people that I knew already and found that they really weren't friends after all.
I was diagnosed with Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome in both ankles after my knees were messed up in the Army.  I deal with chronic back pain, osteoarthritis; have degenerative (herniated) disks in my neck and back.
In September 2000 I was diagnosed with Relapsing- Remitting Multiple Sclerosis and was unable to walk for a year, and in 2002 I was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast Cancer.  It had not spread past my lymph nodes but it was in enough of them.
Today I deal with a lot of pain and take a lot of medication, but I am cancer free, can walk- not great distances- have a host of God fearing people in my life and I smile every day.
When I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis I found out how wonderful my husband and children are.  I was married to my husband for six years and I thought the worst at the time.  I told him if he wanted to leave me I would totally understand,  I had raised my kids  by myself for a good number of  years anyway and I know he would not want to be burdened with a cripple and my kids.  He looked like he wanted to slap me as he told me to be quiet and stop talking crazy.  He said he married in sickness and in health and he meant it.  He loved me he will take care of me and till this day that is exactly what he has done and still does Army and all.  My oldest son was in the Air Force at the time; my other son was in college and my daughter in high school.  Before I knew it my son stationed in Las Vegas was back in NC, my son going to school an hour away was going to school 10 minutes away and my daughter always stayed at my right hand.  She got accepted at a very good school in Virginia two years later, you guessed it she going to school in NC.
My sons still live within twenty minutes of me, they go with me to the doctor, store or anything I need or don't need?.
Unfortunately, I lost my father last month, but because of my breast cancer I got to know him better and had gained a best friend.  When I first found out I had breast cancer and they gave me chemotherapy prior to my Lumpectomy every two weeks.  My father drove from Florida to North Carolina and stayed for three days because my husband was stationed in Korea, to be with me.  When they had to go back in and I had a mastectomy, I had chemotherapy again my father moved to North Carolina, because then they deployed my husband to Iraq.
My children, again because of my breast cancer, got to enjoy their grandfather and my grandchildren, their great-grandfather.  I got to take care of him when he got sick and now visit him with flowers on his birthday.
I started back to school for Graphic Design -online.  I am enjoying my passion for photography and am starting to take pictures for people.
I do a lot of volunteering, working with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, The Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Family Support Group in my husband's Army Unit.  The one thing I enjoy the most is spending time spoiling my grandchildren.
So you see I wouldn't trade for anything in world, I LOVE MY LIFE!!