ABOUT US
Fraternal Twin's Darlene and Charlene Easley have been use to sharing almost everything in their lives. One thing they didn't know they would be sharing is a ugly disease called breast cancer.
When they were both diagnosed with Breast Cancer 10 years apart. They were determined to pull together to get the message out there that they are Sisters "Breaking The Chain Of Breast Cancer Deaths".
FIGHTERS OF BREAST CANCER:
CHARLENE EASLEY I was diagnosed with breast cancer May of 1999, I was 34 years old, it was January, I was in the shower, doing my monthly breast exam when I felt a lump in my left breast, at that point I thought it was a a fibroid cyst because I had a history of getting them, but then I thought, this feels different, so the next day I contacted my family doctor and made
a appointment to see him, I went in and the doctor tried to assure me that it was nothing to worry about, it's fibroid, it should go away to stay away from caffeine which could cause fibroid. So a month went by and the lump was still there, I called the doctor, went in to see him, once again he tried to assure me it was nothing, that I was too young to be thinking it's breast cancer. I knew my body and I knew this was not right, two more months went by and the lump was still there, I'm getting upset know because no one at this time was listening to me. I went in the hospital for something different, not related to the lump in my breast, so I asked the doctor, since I'm here in the hospital, just do a biopsy on the lump. On May 1999, laying in a hospital bed recoverying from a unrelated surgery, I found out I had breast Cancer. I transferred my care to the James Cancer Center
the following week. I underwent a lumpectomy, chemo and radiation. In October 2005 I was diagnosed with a second type of breast cancer, not a reoccurence, underwent a right breast mastectomy in December 2005.
I underwent breast reconstruction in March of 2005. The breast expander was put in the day my breast was removed. Six weeks after the mastectomy my doctor start filling the expander with saline water to expand the tissue to prepare the breast for the implant. The injections went on for several weeks, back and forth to the doctor, each visit the nurse would fill the expander with about 250cc of saline to stretch the skin. I went through this for about six weeks, it was painful but had to be done. March of 2005 I had the actual implant placed (saline implant). I had a new breast. In October of 2008 I started having problems with the implant, (a lot of pain that could not be controlled and the breast was getting smaller) I went to the doctor and found out the muscle was contracting around the implant and squeezing the implant which caused the implant to shrink from the pressure which was causing me a lot of pain. The implant had to come out. In December 2008 I underwent another operation to remove the implant. I then had a procedure called a latissimus dorsi flap, where the doctors take the large muscle from my back and tunnel it to my chest area, tissue was taken from my back also to structure the breast I would have. The surgery was a success. I had three drain tubes placed under my arm and in my back. That was the worst of the operation. The drainage in my back would not stop, I went in for another surgery in February of 2009 and found out I had a large seroma, I came home with three more drain tubes in my back, the draining went on for another six weeks. I then went in for a third surgery April 2009 and found out the seroma had reformed itself so I had more tissue removed from my back and more sutures to close the tissue tighter so the fluid would have a chance to correct itself. After a total of seven drains, in May 2009 all drains were removed. My breast is looking good. June 2009 I brought to my doctors attention that my left breast had a lump in it and i was very concerned about it. She tried to assure me it was just scar issue, nothing to worry about, well I know my body and I knew this was more then scar tissue, so December of 2009 I brought it up to my doctor again, she tried to assure me again it was just scar tissue, she then did a ultra sound on my left breast, doctor said it came back as scar tissue. Well July 2010 I went for my regular check up with my oncologist, once again I mentioned the lump in my left breast, this time I was persisting she do a MRI, doctors said ok but she was sure it was scar tissue. Well the results came in, the doctor did not notify me of the results, I notified her. The MRI results suggested for me to get a biopsy done, on august 8 2010 the results came back as breast cancer. I underwent a left total mastectomy with reconstruction. . I knew my body and I knew it was not scar tissue. I'm undergoing testing to make sure I stay cancer free. My cancer was caught early. 2021 still fighting, still standing. A struggle yes, but I'm hear to talk about it. I am a "Sister Breaking The Chain Of Breast Cancer Deaths".
DARLENE EASLEY I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2009, I was 44 years old, it was January, I was at my twin sisters house looking in the mirror, just playing around, telling my twin my breast look big, that's when
I felt a lump in my breast, I told Charlene "It's just fibroid", because we had a history of fibroid cyst in our breast. I was told for years that the lumps in my breast were fibroid, knowing that my twin had breast cancer I was getting my breast checked every six months because I was considered to be high risk for breast cancer. In 2006 I found a lump in my breast went for a biopsy and was told it was not a lump but dense breast to keep up the checks on my breast every six months. Charlene said "you need to get checked", I put it off for a week, so Charlene called my girlfriend Lekita, she said you better call and get it checked, I said ok, with my girlfriend and my twin constantly on me, I was at work and my girlfriend picked up the phone and told me to call my doctor, I got in to see my doctor the next week, my doctor then sent me to get a mammogram, the mammogram came back showing I needed to see a specialist, the specialist did a biopsy and then set me up to get a MRI also. With my twin sister by my side every step of the way, we awaited the call, we not only got the call that I had breast cancer in one breast but it was breast cancer in both breast.
April 2009 I underwent a double lumpectomy, I started chemo two weeks
after my daughter's high school graduation and a week after my 44 birthday. I finished chemo in October of 2009, I will started radiation in December 2009, hair loss, fingernails turning black, toenails turning black. weight gain, feet and hands have neuropathy, can hardly walk on my feet . I had mentioned to the doctors the amount of weight I have gained, they encouraged me to up my exercise and to watch my diet, I did that for several months, my hair was thinning and the weight kept coming until my twin sister told me to get my thyroid checked. I did and found out the cancer treatment I had did a little damage to my thyroid. I am know on thyroid medication and the weight is coming off, my hair is going back to normal. yes it's a struggle. My cancer was caught early. I'm here to talk about it. 2021 Cancer free for 12 years, Still standing with my twin every step of our journey. I am a "Sister Breaking The Chain of Breast Cancer Deaths".