Michelle Scherer

As an oncology nurse, Michelle Scherer is no stranger to the treatment of cancer. She just didn't think she would one day be a breast cancer patient herself -- especially considering she had no family history of the disease. She was 46 at the time of her diagnosis early this year, and the mom of two very active boys had to learn to slow down and rest for a bit. She is currently undergoing radiation treatments.

How did you find out you had breast cancer?

I had my annual mammogram and the nurse practitioner thought she felt something, but we put that off to me being sick; I had a sinus infection at the time. I got a letter in the mail saying I needed more testing. I had gotten that letter before because of dense breast tissue and it turned out to be nothing, but this time it was the opposite. When I went back in for more precise testing, it did show something, so they did an ultrasound that same day and set me up for a biopsy. I had no family history at that time, but I do have an aunt now who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

__What was your treatment like?__

I had a lumpectomy and three lymph nodes removed on Feb. 21 and started chemo on March 26. I had 12 weeks in a row of chemo, then a three- or four-week break, then a different type of chemo with three treatments spaced out every three weeks. I had been on a break for a little over a month and I just started radiation treatments.

__What has been the most difficult part of the experience for you?__

Being a nurse and working with cancer patients myself, I had administered chemotherapy. It was a bitter pill to swallow, having never thought I would be on the receiving end of chemo -- I had always been on the giving end of it. The fatigue was the hardest thing. I have two children at home still; 11 and 17 are their ages. By the time the weekend rolled around, I was pretty fatigued and wanted to rest and not keep going, but I had to. With the second round of chemo I had a little more nausea, but overall the side effects were pretty minimal.

__What is your advice to other women?__

For sure do your screenings every year. Stay faithful to that. Try to do your breast self-exams every month. That's one thing I didn't do; I wasn't very good about that.

-- By Robyn Gautschy