My wife, Jean, was diagnosed at the end of June 2005 with locally advanced lobular carcinoma of the left breast. The tumor was 5.5 centimeters at its widest point. All of the tests she underwent came back with the best possible results.

    She started chemotherapy on August 1st, with four treatments of Adriamycin and Cytoxan followed by four treatments of Taxotere. The fact that she was fit and otherwise healthy made these treatments more tolerable, although they were no picnic by any stretch.

    Thanks to my company’s policy, I was able to go to her treatments with her and stay with her during her recovery. As I watched Jean and others receive these treatments, I thought to myself that if I could do anything to avoid having to undergo this type of treatment myself, I should do that. I decided then and there to stop smoking as soon as Jean was past her major treatments.

    She finished chemo in December of 2005 and had a bilateral mastectomy in early January of 2006. In early March, I visited my doctor to get Zyban and the patches. I quit smoking on March 13, 2006, and have not had so much as a puff since then. I have not even missed the cigarettes since the day I stopped!

    If anyone had told me before the diagnosis that our relationship would someday be better than it already was, I would not have believed it. I do now, however. Although we are glad to have the treatments over, we almost miss the time we got to spend together during these treatments and the surgery. I still go with Jean when she gets her checkups.

    Our relationship has improved in many ways. We get along better than ever.