2013... this is where the real journey begins. In April my employer health insurance finally kicked in. I had been feeling all kinds of joint pains and when I went to see my primary care physician she scheduled an x-ray of the spine, I got my prescriptions for Tamoxifen and my other  non-cancer related drugs and felt things were going to get better.

Because the health insurance required a 2500 deductible I did not schedule the x-rays. You see I am the sole income earner for my family and we just couldn't afford it. The joint pain continued and in May it got so bad I could not stand from a sitting position on my own. And then one day it

mysteriously disappeared. Fast forward to July 16th. My family and I were moving to a new home. After the first trip we went back to the old place and I sat down on a low laying ottoman. When I tried to get up my legs gave up and I fell to the ground. I could not move. In my mind I knew I had broken my leg but I thought the fall had not being strong enough to cause a fracture. My sister in law twisted my leg around and tried to snap in place but it just kept on twisting.

Emergency services were called and I was taken to Winter Park Memorial Florida Hospital. I was not in pain and I knew my daughter and the rest of the family were busy with the moving so I said to my daughter to leave me in the hospital on my own and to come back when she was done with the move.

X-rays were made and sure enough my femur was broken. I was scheduled for surgery the next day.

From the beginning

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009. I received the phone call while I was at George Bush International Airport in Houston, TX waiting for my flight to Miami. I was visiting my daughter Elle. After I hung up from the call, my instincts for survival immediately kicked in. The first thing I did was go to the airport's bookstore and look at whatever books they had on cancer fighting. I found comedian Robert Schimmel's book "Cancer on Five Dollars a Day" and after reading the back cover (like I always do before reading a book) I bought it on the spot and laughed and cried while reading it on the flight.

I spent the next two weeks in Miami with my daughter but I did not disclose to her the diagnosis. I decided to focus on our time together. The only person I shared the diagnosis during those first weeks was my boyfriend at the time. He and my other friends from AA were my life support. I went through chemotherapy, lost my hair, but thankfully the chemo did not syphoned my energies and I continued working and doing my normal life.

I had a mastectomy on May 10, 2010 on my right breast and for me it was of paramount help that my boyfriend helped me by accepting my new body. Like he said: "I don't need two breasts to make love to you". In October of 2010 my daughter moved to Houston, she wanted to spend more time with me given the fact that I had cancer. In December I went to my last radiation treatment and I was placed on Tamoxifen for five years. In January of 2011 my daughter and I were involved in a car accident that although it did not have major health effects it did bring my daughter and I even closer.

I continued working and living and enjoying life. The support I received from my family and friends was invaluable. I enjoyed life to the fullest and then in October 16, 2011 my grandson was born, Leandro Duran. I was present at birth and it was an amazing experience. I admire my daughter so much for her courage. (When I had her I was too scared and I ended up having a C-Section).

Nothing much happened in terms of cancer. I took my medication regularly and the regular mammograms came back ok. Then in December of 2012 my daughter, grandson and I moved to Orlando, Florida so my daughter could start her law school career. When I moved here I brought with me 3 months supply of Tamoxifen since I  knew I would not have health insurance for a while. I ran out of meds in March and did not take them for a month until my insurance kicked in.

(More to follow)