Breast cancer survivor receives shocking news 10 years after her recovery 

MaryAnne was living her life after beating breast cancer 10 years earlier.  A full time student, wife and mother of two adult daughters, life was good again.  She had a promising business in interior design and was excited about living.

Beating cancer wasn’t easy.  “I went through the slash, burn and poison treatment.  First they cut off my breast.  Then they filled my body with poison and burned me with radiation.  It felt like every part of my being had cancer.  There was no where I could go to escape from this nightmare.  I wanted to find some small place to find a break, but the break didn’t happen until it was all over.”

The doctors had given her a 50/50 chance of survival.  How did she survive?  It was the love and prayers from her family and friends, and especially her husband who stood by her lovingly.  The power of prayer is something you cannot under estimate. http://www.johnmuirhealth.com/index.php/news_article/newsID/349.html

So what was the shocking news?  MaryAnne has now been diagnosed with Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM).  It is a life-time, rare, autoimmune, degenerative muscle disease with no cure and no treatment.  It affects one  in 150,000 people, mostly men over 50.

She started developing symptoms twelve years ago when she “got clumsy” and began falling.  She also often choked while eating.  Seeking help from doctors she was told to “lift weights, eat slower, and learn to tuck and roll.”  The symptoms grew worse.  She changed doctors and finally found someone who helped.  

Now she is having trouble walking up stairs and getting up out of a chair or couch.  Maryanne says that the breast cancer was like boot-camp for living with this disease.  She has had to again change her outlook on life, stay in the moment, living in the now and asking for help.

She got a cane and made it “hers” by decorating it with paint, and rhinestones.  Dropping the interior design business she is writing a book on her art work of the last 10 years.  She has redirected all her energy and education into graphic design and ”wrapping her head around” living with this disease.

Because of this experience she has learned to ask people for help and not to be defined by the disease.  Her physical appearance because of the medication has changed.  There are days when it is hard to go out of the house.  She fights the urge to stay home and hibernate every day.  Now she uses a walker when she goes out of the house.

The best advice she received was from her 28 year old daughter who at the age of six was diagnosed with diabetes. Sabrina says, “Don’t let the disease define you.  You are not the disease.  The disease is just something you have.” Mary Anne says, “The love and support that I received from my family was amazing and was crucial to my healing.  With their love I can face this new challenge.”