Susan Risdon Breast Cancer Warrior
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Hi I'm Susan Risdon and while 2020 has been an extremely challenging year for everyone, I have certainly had my fair share of trauma. I had Covid-19 in March, an appendectomy in May, was diagnosed with breast cancer in August and had a double mastectomy in September. I'm grateful to be cancer free and alive but the medical bills are piling up. I am overwhelmed and could really use your financial help.
My ordeal started last Spring when I tested positive for Covid-19. My symptoms were no sense of smell or taste, fever, aches, pains, a migraine headache, fatigue, a dry cough and pink eye. I was fortunate to not have breathing problems and did not have to go to the hospital to be on a ventilator. I was sick for about three weeks. Two days after I tested negative for Covid-19 I had severe pains in my stomach and was vomiting. I was rushed to the hospital with an appendicitis and the next day I had surgery to remove my appendix. I stayed in the hospital at Delray Medical Center for three days to recover and for fear of infection. A few weeks later I felt better and I wanted to give my plasma to help other Covid patients. Each bag of plasma can help three to four people, so I have now given my plasma (which nurses call "liquid gold") three times.
In July I went for a routine mammogram at the Cleveland Clinic. I have been getting mammograms since I was 31 because of my family history. Both of my grandmothers had breast cancer and mastectomies. My father also died of non-hodgkin's lymphoma when I was just 4 years old. My doctor called me to come back for a diagnostic mammogram and a sonogram after seeing some suspicious tissue in my right breast. A few weeks later I went in for a biopsy which revealed cancer in my right breast. We caught the malignancy immediately and the breast surgeon scheduled a double mastectomy for September 2. I was terrified for the surgery but I knew that I had no choice. I underwent an MRI and was also tested for the BRCA gene and fortunately that came back negative. I would have had to get my ovaries removed if it was positive.
The surgery was successful and the doctors at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, Florida saved my life. The breast surgeon also removed three lymph nodes. The four drains were the hardest part to deal with but thankfully I had a visiting nurse to help me drain them and to change my bandages. After seeing my scars I made the decision to share photos of what a double mastectomy looks like to help other women battling this awful disease. I had no idea what my chest would look like but cancer is ugly and a double mastectomy should not be a secret. I received overwhelming support from my Facebook friends for sharing my story and the shocking images. I also got a number of private messages from breast cancer survivors and women who had just been diagnosed. Two weeks after getting home from the hospital I was in horrible pain and suffered a hematoma in my right chest area and I had to go back into the hospital for two days to be checked for infection and to drain the hematoma. Keep in mind before this past year I had only been in the hospital once in my life when I was 12 years old with a bruised pancreas from a basketball injury. Six weeks after the double mastectomy I had an allergic reaction to the adhesive from the glue stitches and I broke out in a horrible itchy rash that took two weeks to clear up.
I am now working with a plastic surgeon to do reconstruction. I have expanders sewn into my chest wall and I go to the plastic surgeon every few weeks to have a saline solution injected. The expanders are stretching my skin and I will have breast implant surgery on February 10th.
I am a former TV reporter and I was recently on Good Morning Texas sharing my story to try and help others. I am grateful for being cancer free and the silver lining to my story is that I do not have to have chemotherapy or radiation. The overwhelming support from my friends and family has been amazing. I am just starting a new career as a real estate agent. I got my real estate license in July before being diagnosed with breast cancer. I am focused on getting clients but I haven't sold a house yet. I am the proud mom of an English Cream Golden Retriever, Bentley Breanne (BB) and a Ragdoll Kitty named Sugar Sue. My fur babies have taken care of me during the hardest time of my life.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to read this. If you can make a financial donation to help me pay my medical bills I will be forever grateful. If you cannot donate, please share my story. Every little bit helps.
Good Morning Texas interview:
https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/television/breast-cancer/287-051e3765-e62f-4191-840d-6b0150fdcbda
My ordeal started last Spring when I tested positive for Covid-19. My symptoms were no sense of smell or taste, fever, aches, pains, a migraine headache, fatigue, a dry cough and pink eye. I was fortunate to not have breathing problems and did not have to go to the hospital to be on a ventilator. I was sick for about three weeks. Two days after I tested negative for Covid-19 I had severe pains in my stomach and was vomiting. I was rushed to the hospital with an appendicitis and the next day I had surgery to remove my appendix. I stayed in the hospital at Delray Medical Center for three days to recover and for fear of infection. A few weeks later I felt better and I wanted to give my plasma to help other Covid patients. Each bag of plasma can help three to four people, so I have now given my plasma (which nurses call "liquid gold") three times.
In July I went for a routine mammogram at the Cleveland Clinic. I have been getting mammograms since I was 31 because of my family history. Both of my grandmothers had breast cancer and mastectomies. My father also died of non-hodgkin's lymphoma when I was just 4 years old. My doctor called me to come back for a diagnostic mammogram and a sonogram after seeing some suspicious tissue in my right breast. A few weeks later I went in for a biopsy which revealed cancer in my right breast. We caught the malignancy immediately and the breast surgeon scheduled a double mastectomy for September 2. I was terrified for the surgery but I knew that I had no choice. I underwent an MRI and was also tested for the BRCA gene and fortunately that came back negative. I would have had to get my ovaries removed if it was positive.
The surgery was successful and the doctors at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, Florida saved my life. The breast surgeon also removed three lymph nodes. The four drains were the hardest part to deal with but thankfully I had a visiting nurse to help me drain them and to change my bandages. After seeing my scars I made the decision to share photos of what a double mastectomy looks like to help other women battling this awful disease. I had no idea what my chest would look like but cancer is ugly and a double mastectomy should not be a secret. I received overwhelming support from my Facebook friends for sharing my story and the shocking images. I also got a number of private messages from breast cancer survivors and women who had just been diagnosed. Two weeks after getting home from the hospital I was in horrible pain and suffered a hematoma in my right chest area and I had to go back into the hospital for two days to be checked for infection and to drain the hematoma. Keep in mind before this past year I had only been in the hospital once in my life when I was 12 years old with a bruised pancreas from a basketball injury. Six weeks after the double mastectomy I had an allergic reaction to the adhesive from the glue stitches and I broke out in a horrible itchy rash that took two weeks to clear up.
I am now working with a plastic surgeon to do reconstruction. I have expanders sewn into my chest wall and I go to the plastic surgeon every few weeks to have a saline solution injected. The expanders are stretching my skin and I will have breast implant surgery on February 10th.
I am a former TV reporter and I was recently on Good Morning Texas sharing my story to try and help others. I am grateful for being cancer free and the silver lining to my story is that I do not have to have chemotherapy or radiation. The overwhelming support from my friends and family has been amazing. I am just starting a new career as a real estate agent. I got my real estate license in July before being diagnosed with breast cancer. I am focused on getting clients but I haven't sold a house yet. I am the proud mom of an English Cream Golden Retriever, Bentley Breanne (BB) and a Ragdoll Kitty named Sugar Sue. My fur babies have taken care of me during the hardest time of my life.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to read this. If you can make a financial donation to help me pay my medical bills I will be forever grateful. If you cannot donate, please share my story. Every little bit helps.
Good Morning Texas interview:
https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/television/breast-cancer/287-051e3765-e62f-4191-840d-6b0150fdcbda
Organizer
Susan Risdon
Organizer
Delray Beach, FL