Melissa's Hat Trick

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. My husband and I did a tremendous amount of research on the internet: we studied cancer types, grades, cells, scores. We educated ourselves on diagnostic tests and how to interpret their results. We did our homework. Had we not been knowledgable about my cancer before we stepped into a breast surgeon's office, I would currently be (unnecessarily) missing either one or both of my breasts. Maintaining control over cancer requires much more than a good understanding of the disease. This book is about the strategies and beliefs that carried me from cancer patient to cancer survivor.In April 2012, I began chemotherapy. Coincidentally, the Stanley Cup Playoffs were just beginning. Seeded number eight and definitely the dark horse, the Los Angeles Kings set out to win that coveted Cup. One game after another, the Kings dominate the ice with superior talent and teamwork. The hockey world cannot deny it; this team has become unstoppable. When I am offered ice seat tickets to a semi-final game, I am able to see and feel the power of the human spirit. The grim determination and warrior mentality that brings the Los Angeles Kings their first Stanley Cup Championship becomes my greatest source of inspiration.Six months after all my breast cancer therapies are complete, I am diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer. I have to undergo another surgery, followed by a massive dose of radiation. The LA Kings are heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs again; I look to "my boys" for inspiration, and they don't let me down.In October 2014, a tiny black freckle on my right calf sends me to my dermatologist. I am diagnosed with lentiginous junctional nevus, the precursor lesion to melanoma. This time around, a deep scoop of flesh and twenty eight stitches restore me to a cancer free state. I beat three cancers in three years, and I'm calling that a hat trick. My victory is made even sweeter because it is shared; the LA Kings claim the Stanley Cup for the second time in three years.This is my story-it's about not giving up.