Every person’s story of their fight with breast cancer deserves to be told, and although some may feel that their story doesn’t deserve it compared to others, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
For Christina Crabtree, her story is one of determination to stop the deadly disease in its tracks and refusing to let cancer claim another victim.
“When I was 45, I had a sign that I might’ve had breast cancer, so I went had tests done and I did, stage 1.” she said.
When asked what the sign or symptom was that gave her concern, it wasn’t a lump or discoloration that is commonly associated with breast cancer, but rather an indention.
“I had an indention that looked like if you took a hot metal rod and put it on your skin and it makes an indention, that’s what I had. Throughout my 20s, I would have mammograms because I have family history of my mom having breast cancer and my grandmother on my dad’s side having breast cancer. So we were always aware of that and I always had mammograms. They would always turn out fine, but I don’t know what made me think something was wrong. I saw that and it worried me so I went and got a mammogram right after and they found two spots and then my surgeon decided to do an MRI and found two more.”
Christina was diagnosed in April 2018 and by August, she would have a lumpectomy and in October would start 22 rounds of radiation, all while raising her kids and working as a single mom.
“I would get up at 5 in the morning to go to work and get off at 2, run by the house, change, run to Amarillo and get my radiation treatment, run back home and grab the girls. One had soccer practice and the other band practice at the time.”
“There were no mornings when I didn’t sit on the edge of the bed and say, Lord, I can’t do this anymore. But He would just pick me up and carry me through it.”
“I felt like if I slowed down or took time off to rest, that was showing my kids that I wasn’t strong.”
Christina’s family history of breast cancer is extensive, but also sheds light on an uncommon occurence-breast cancer in men, as her great-grandfather ultimately passed away from it not knowing it at the time.
“I was in 7th or 8th grade when he passed away, but they said after he died is when they detected it, so we really didn’t know, but it happened. People should know that it happens to men too.”
“He may have assumed that men can’t get breast cancer. He passed away in the late 80s, but back then there wasn’t any real inclination for them to believe that men could have it too. The focus was only on women.”
Knowing that cancer was on both sides of her family, she automatically assumed that when she received the diagnosis, it was purely from her genetics. But she found out that certainly wasn’t the case and was surprised to find out what caused it.
“When they did the genetic testing, I didn’t carry the breast cancer gene. Mine was estrogen-fed.”
Christina was told that her body produced too much estrogen, either naturally or by use of the birth control she had been on for a few years, causing the breast cancer to form. So she gives caution to others that it can-and did-happen, and she’s a walking testimonial for it.
“Sometimes I don’t feel like I deserve to be called a survivor because people had it much worse than I did. I just know that I wanted to kick its butt and stop it and I was lucky.”
“Every woman should go and get checked whether or not they believe they carry the gene. And if there are men who are feeling a certain way or are ill and they can’t figure out what it is, they need to check themselves just like women do and talk with their doctors just to make sure. It’s always better safe than sorry because if you hesitate and wait, it just gets worse and then it’s too late.”
