My 6+ decades of life have been speckled with unexpected health anomalies. So far, I’ve survived them all, thank you Jesus.
At 27, sudden appendicitis resulted in an emergency appendectomy. Then at age 37, a stealthy brainstem hemorrhage forever altered my life, paralyzing my entire left side (head to toe) which took 6 months of rehab to bring me back to “normal” activities of daily living. All function returned to the left half of my body, albeit permanently slower (foot, leg, circulation, hand, arm, and vocal cord). Due to walking with a slight limp for 30 years since that stroke, my poor joints are worse-for-wear, resulting in four left foot/ankle surgeries to repair. Then, late in the fall of my 65th year, I stumbled and fell, breaking my neck at C1-C2. Now I know what Frankenstein’s monster felt like.
One more bit of pertinent medical history. In 2017 (age 60), my annual gyno exam showed a large, benign tumor that necessitated removal. My gynecologist advised me that it would be wise to opt for a full hysterectomy to prevent future growths and because I had been in menopause for 6 years. My gynecologist sold me on the idea that HRT (hormone replacement therapy) was advisable to help keep all the cells in my body healthier and more resilient to aging. He prescribed bio-identical estrogen (patches) and daily progesterone pills. So, when my 2025 breast biopsy confirmed cancer, I had been taking HRT for 7 years. After the initial cancer diagnosis, I began researching possible links between HRT and breast cancer. Even before the official pathology report came back, I took myself off HRT (mid-FEB 2025). I’m very glad I did. One small step that felt like taking a small amount of control.
Combining estradiol with synthetic progestins slightly increases the risk of breast cancer. This elevated risk primarily appears or becomes more pronounced after 3 to 5 years of consistent use. www.breastcancer.org
I thought I was healthy…
My Next Steps 