My Story….
I was 35, and on an assignment for work when I developed a rosy color in my right breast. I was to worried and decided to have it checked out at my regular GYN appointment when I got home a few months later. My husband and I had been considering going back to the fertility specialist and trying IVF at the time, and I wanted to be sure I was good to go before we started. By then I was also experiencing some intermittent pain in the breast. My GYN begrudgingly sent me for an ultrasound and mammogram because of the pain. It took a month to get me on the schedule because of the holidays. When I went in for the ultrasound the tech was amazing! She was so nice, and immediately wanted to make sure I spoke with the radiologist (which my GYN hadn’t requested.) After the mammogram the radiologist came in to speak to me and explain the multiple spots she was concerned about. A week later I was in for my biopsies, and got the word a day or two later… it was breast cancer and it was already in some lymph nodes. I was referred to a wonderful surgeon and he took over my care from there. The surgeon was great, really laid out what to expect, what was important to know off the bat, and settled my nerves. He was also thorough when it came to making sure there was no other progression before scheduling surgery. So, in I went for more testing, CTs and bone scan. CT of the soft tissues were clear except for my breast and lymph nodes we knew about. The bone scan didn’t have such great news. The metastasis was wide spread through almost every bone in my body. I was told to see the oncologist immediately and get a bone biopsy, that it wasn’t even worth the effort of surgery because of the extent of the bone disease. I couldn’t believe it, diagnosis… terminal. 

With all this we were still wondering about our prospects of children, we weren’t getting any younger and now with the diagnosis we didn’t know what was going to happen. We discussed this with the oncologist, and on my 36th birthday I received a call from her saying if I wanted a biological child we’d have to move quickly to bank my eggs and use a surrogate as our best option. It was devastating news. 

So, on to the next chapter. I went on Ibrance and into early menopause a month later and did very well on that treatment for about 3 years. The oncologist hoped with treatment I’d have 10-20 years. I had regular scans that showed the tumors in my breast and the lymph nodes were gone and even my bones had some improvement. I felt “normal” and life continued on. We were able to adopt a baby, the light of our life! 

After about three years we found that there was progress in my right femur and I had a rod inserted, six months later I had a rod inserted in my right humerus. During this time my blood numbers were terrible and I was needing multiple transfusions. As it turned out the Ibrance was starting to poison my blood, and the progress was continuing to more lymph nodes and the membrane around my brain. On to oral chemo I went. This is where I am today. Hoping that my next scans are good and I’m able to get off chemo and back on to an anti hormone treatment. 

I keep going every day, when the chemo makes me sick, when I’m bone tired, when the pain feels too much. I keep going for my husband and son, and family. 

My inspiration is a good friend Tim. He’s been going through stage 4 colon/ liver cancer with a smile on his face more than 7 years. We teach together and it never ceases to amaze me how upbeat and positive he is. It’s invigorating. 

What can I say? It’s been trying, it’s been scary, it’s been a whole host of emotions! But I’m here, I have my family, and we keep going. We will continue to keep going and fighting to get those years the oncologist thought I could have. I will have them and make the most of them!