网曝门事件

In January 2020, Kristy Montero had her first mammogram. When the results were negative, the now 45-year-old says she was relieved. But just a year and a half later, in July 2021, Montero felt something unfamiliar in her right breast. 

鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 quite a lump; more like a bruise or a knot that hadn鈥檛 been there before,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 painful, but I checked again a few days later and it was still there.鈥� 

Working through cancer treatment 

Montero soon had a mammogram, followed by two biopsies and an MRI to confirm that it was cancer. Because the cancer was aggressive 鈥� it was already in her lymph nodes 鈥� Montero鈥檚 care team recommended a double mastectomy, the removal of both of her breasts. By the time she had surgery in October, just three months after she found the lump, the tumor had grown significantly. 

Earlier this year, Montero had several rounds of chemotherapy, followed by radiation. But the credit union assistant manager wasn鈥檛 ready to give up her work. She continued to work full time through most of her treatment. 

鈥淚 took Fridays off during chemo to give myself the weekend to rest,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd I needed to take time off during radiation because I was going five days a week, so it wasn鈥檛 aligning with my work schedule.鈥� 

Montero adds that her care team, including , was critical to helping her work through her treatment. 鈥淭hey have been so caring, understanding and thorough,鈥� she says. 鈥淣o matter how many questions I may have, Dr. Win always takes the time to answer them.鈥� 

Looking to the future 

So, how did Montero find the strength to get through it all?  

鈥淲hat really helped was just realizing I had no choice but to be positive and go with the flow,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 knew I couldn鈥檛 let it take me over; I had to push forward.鈥� 

Montero is preparing for her next checkup with Dr. Win, but she has other plans as well: She鈥檒l meet with a surgeon soon to discuss breast reconstruction, with a goal of having the operation by the end of the year. 

After that? 

鈥淢y sister has been like my right hand, with me at every appointment and every treatment,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to take a girls鈥� trip together and just go sit on a beach somewhere.鈥� 

After all, Montero has earned some time off.