Twenty Years After Surviving the Storm
Author: Yu-Hui Liu (Patient at Our Hospital)
A Breast Cancer Diagnosis, and Two Decades Without Recurrence
In 2005, I noticed something unusual in my left breast and was diagnosed with Stage IIIC breast cancer. I went through intensive treatment, including a total of 13 rounds of chemotherapy (before and after surgery), 21 sessions of radiation therapy, and I took tamoxifen for ten years. Now, more than twenty years have passed. I have never had a recurrence, and I also never experienced side effects from tamoxifen.
The Hardest Battle Was Mental Health
Not long after treatment began, I started showing signs of depression. Over time, it progressed into mood swings and what felt like bipolar symptoms, and I even went through episodes of severe depression. I constantly thought about leaving this world, and I felt that the fragility of life was even harder to control than breast cancer.
Thankfully, my family and friends organized themselves to stay with me around the clock. They took turns in 24-hour shifts to keep me company and support me, and that helped me survive my first major depressive episode.
A Second Crisis, and Finding Help Close to Home
After I stabilized for a while, I helped care for my young nephew. About six months later, I mistakenly thought that holding the baby had caused lymphedema, so I rested. But only a few months after that, I fell into severe depression again.
This time, I asked to be hospitalized because I did not want to burden my family, but there were no available beds. While waiting, a friend suggested trying a psychiatric rehabilitation center near my home.
At that point, I could no longer drive or cook. I could barely manage to ride my scooter to get to the rehab center on my own. What felt almost miraculous was how quickly things improved. Within just two to three months, my mental state stabilized. I could be alone again without fear, and I even found a part-time job.
Climbing Back Up, Then Being Knocked Down Again
Just as I was slowly climbing out of the valley, I was scammed out of millions of dollars by a fraudulent group that claimed to be mind-body-spirit mentors. For our family, which was not financially well off to begin with, it was a brutal blow.
To recover from that financial hit, I gathered my courage and worked hard to earn a childcare provider certification. Starting in 2013, I began working as an in-home childcare provider, and I have continued ever since. Over the years, I have earned the trust and support of many parents.
Goals That Kept Me Moving Forward
When I first got sick, I set a short-term goal: to live long enough to go see cherry blossoms. After treatment ended and my mental health stabilized, I fulfilled that dream.
My long-term goal was to be able to stay with my children until they graduated from college. Today, they not only graduated years ago, but they have also found good partners, built families, and established their lives.
The Vitamins That Keep Me Well
Over these twenty years, I have written, submitted work for publication, taken up photography, quilting, decoupage, grown succulents, hiked, traveled, and spent time in nature. I attend church, and I also taught myself Japanese. All of these have been vitamins that help protect my physical and mental health.
A Message for Anyone Who Is Afraid Right Now
I am deeply grateful for the dedication of healthcare professionals and the support of family and friends. Without them, I would not have had these rich and meaningful twenty years after surviving the storm.
If you are facing the kind of fear and pain I once faced, please do not give up. Take it one step at a time. Life can turn around. It may even become better than it was before. I’m cheering for you.