In Feb, 2003, I was getting up for work and happened to lean forward, and felt a very hard spot in my left breast. Now, being the good nurse I am, I ignored it, & got dressed. I did mention it to my husband, who is also a nurse, and I had self diagnosed a cyst. He is the one that was worried & said I should make an appointment. Well after a couple weeks, I decided he was right, and needed to have the cyst removed or drained. I went to the doc and she had a fit. She actually worried me, and sent me for a stat mammogram. She got the results back, and made an appointment with the surgeon. I went and picked up the mammogram slides, and looked at them before my appointment. It showed calcifications, indicitive of cancer. I went to his office, and he immediately did a biopsy. That was on a Thursday, and I had to make an appointment for the next Thursday. I received a call on Monday that it was negative, although I was skeptical at that point-the calcifications bothered me. I went to his office on Thursday, and they had given me the wrong results-it was positive. My husband, at that point was more upset than I...I already 'knew'. We made an appointment with the oncologist for the next Friday. At that point, it was simply to shrink the tumor so we could do surgery-as at this point there were no clear margins, so could not just get rid of it.
The next Friday, I met with the oncologist, and he went thru the treatment plan. Although I had no risk factors, we assumed it was hormone related, since most breast cancers are hormone related. He did order more tests on the biopsy-to check hormone status, and he wanted to make sure it was her2-. The next week, I had to have a port-a-cath placed, a pet scan, a ct scan, mugga (heart output) and blood work. This took up everyday that next week, and I had to return to him on Friday for my first chemo. Talk about a long week! My surgery for the cath was the worst, because I could not lie on my right side for 6 weeks.
Well, I went back on Friday, and found out the cancer had already spread. My lump was 9cm by 10cm, it was her2+++, http://her2support.org/her2.html will tell you that only 25-30% of women with breast cancer are her2+, and I was strongly +. It had spread, it was a very fasy growing cancer. Honestly, I don't remember much of what was said after that. I didn't cry @ that point, I became a robot, and after the doc speaking with me for an hour (Luckily my husband remembered) I had my first chemo. It took 3 hours. I had to go tell my daughter. She fell apart & so did I. (That started her on a downward spiral into rx drugs, hospital stays, & almost losing her children) I was not to be around outside people for the first 10 days of each tx. I was not suppose to kiss my grandchildren! I lost my hair within 2 weeks, and had to have a wig....
This lasted until the end of July, and although my scans were not clear, we opted to begin herceptin the first Friday in Aug. Herceptin is a target specific antibody...a miracle drug. I chose not to have surgery-I was already stage 4, so it made no sense. I had herceptin every 3 weeks from then on out.
In Jan, 2004, we found a lymph node acting silly, and though about radiation. I decided to just wait & see what was going to happen. 3 mos later, we decided the lymph node was growing, & there were more, so back on chemo I go. I was on chemo every week until August, and then we stopped. My scans were clear! Completely. I have been on herceptin every 3 weeks every since, and having scans every 3 mos. I have my next scans within the next 6 weeks.
Now, I am OK with whatever God has planned for me. I make sure I talk to the kids on a regular basis, my grandkids stay here with me as much as possible, and my husband & I spend time together.
The next Friday, I met with the oncologist, and he went thru the treatment plan. Although I had no risk factors, we assumed it was hormone related, since most breast cancers are hormone related. He did order more tests on the biopsy-to check hormone status, and he wanted to make sure it was her2-. The next week, I had to have a port-a-cath placed, a pet scan, a ct scan, mugga (heart output) and blood work. This took up everyday that next week, and I had to return to him on Friday for my first chemo. Talk about a long week! My surgery for the cath was the worst, because I could not lie on my right side for 6 weeks.
Well, I went back on Friday, and found out the cancer had already spread. My lump was 9cm by 10cm, it was her2+++, http://her2support.org/her2.html will tell you that only 25-30% of women with breast cancer are her2+, and I was strongly +. It had spread, it was a very fasy growing cancer. Honestly, I don't remember much of what was said after that. I didn't cry @ that point, I became a robot, and after the doc speaking with me for an hour (Luckily my husband remembered) I had my first chemo. It took 3 hours. I had to go tell my daughter. She fell apart & so did I. (That started her on a downward spiral into rx drugs, hospital stays, & almost losing her children) I was not to be around outside people for the first 10 days of each tx. I was not suppose to kiss my grandchildren! I lost my hair within 2 weeks, and had to have a wig....
This lasted until the end of July, and although my scans were not clear, we opted to begin herceptin the first Friday in Aug. Herceptin is a target specific antibody...a miracle drug. I chose not to have surgery-I was already stage 4, so it made no sense. I had herceptin every 3 weeks from then on out.
In Jan, 2004, we found a lymph node acting silly, and though about radiation. I decided to just wait & see what was going to happen. 3 mos later, we decided the lymph node was growing, & there were more, so back on chemo I go. I was on chemo every week until August, and then we stopped. My scans were clear! Completely. I have been on herceptin every 3 weeks every since, and having scans every 3 mos. I have my next scans within the next 6 weeks.
Now, I am OK with whatever God has planned for me. I make sure I talk to the kids on a regular basis, my grandkids stay here with me as much as possible, and my husband & I spend time together.
Praying for you and clean results 
This marks 12 mos of clear scans. I will remain on herceptin every 3 weeks, with dr visits every 6 weeks! Praise God, and thank you for your prayers!
