These are pictures of my dear friend Dara. Last year at the age of 40 she faced what no woman wants to face. I asked her to tell her story for my blog. She is a wife and mother of two beautiful girls and has a full time professional career. I share her story because I find it to be an inspiration to all! We took these pictures in my apartment studio and the beautiful makeup job is by Tia.
Dara's words "I am 40. I went in for my first mammogram May of 2020 and they found a mass. After a biopsy was done, they determined I had invasive DCIS Breast Cancer. My treatment plan entailed: a double mastectomy with reconstruction, followed by chemotherapy treatment for 3 months, another 9 months of hormone based treatment (still going on), and pills daily for 5 years (still taking them). I had my second reconstruction surgery about 2 months after I finished Chemotherapy. The experience has been interesting as all of this happened during a pandemic. I had so many people reach out to help, but there was not much they could do as we were all sheltered in place and I had to be very careful of what I did so I did not get sick. It has been lonely at times. What I can say is that I am trying to not let things get to me as much anymore. I can only control so much in life and I have to let go of trying to make everything perfect. Like my hair, I used to love getting different cuts and styles and was really sad when it started to fall out… but after all this… I will never be upset if I get a bad cut because in the end, I have learned I actually look fine bald (thought it is cold in the winter). I look fine with really short hair. Hair is hair, and I am still me even without it. I would say for anyone who is starting on this crazy journey, use the support contacts they provide at the cancer institute and even the American cancer society. It would have probably saved me some time if I had used them sooner. It is a very scary process and it is life changing, but if you take it one day at a time, slow down and take a breath, you will learn how to deal with the change. It might not always be beautiful and easy, some days it will down right test you as an individual, but eventually you will learn and love the new you."
