My second Journey

For those of you who haven't heard the story from the beginning here's quick over view of my situation, that I just wrote to add to my web page. It's not up yet so you have a preview. I intend to update the webpage with this and some bald photos soon.

My Second Journey

If someone had told me that I would face breast cancer, not once but twice by 35 I would have never believed them! But here I am…35 year’s old and facing a second diagnosis of breast cancer. (My first being at 23 years old) I immediate thought is that the first cancer I had came back again, but no, this is an entirely different case of breast cancer. This kind is even considered a different disease, it’s so different! So I still will have to be tested in the future to be sure the original cancer doesn’t return, while continuing to fight this new bought with this new disease. The first time I had a sarcoma in the breast tissue, this time I have a carcinoma in the ducts that spread to my lymph nodes.
I’d been going for tests for years consistently, especially for the last 4 years because I felt that my breast tissue felt thick and odd. But since the first feeling of this came while breast feeding Carmelle (who’s now 4 years and was 4 months then) it seemed to the Dr. that the change I felt was due to that. Whether it was pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight gain or weight loss, there always seemed a reasonable explanation for the way my breast was feeling, especially since no tests (ultra sound, mammogram, CT scan or Chest X-ray) showed anything. Until March 2nd, 2007 a little something showed up on Ultra sound, which then also could be found on ultra sound. (Confirmed to be breast cancer by needle core biopsy done March 12th, 2007, pathology report in on March 16th) The little something was invasive breast cancer that had spread out side the ducts and to the lymph nodes, what didn’t show but was later confirmed by pathology, was that basically my entire breast tissue was full of DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) Thankfully the invasive BCA seems to be relatively new, infecting only 3/11 nodes. These 11 nodes were removed by lymph node dissection during my right breast Mastectomy on April 5th, 2007. I was fortunate to have immediate breast reconstructive surgery at the time, with a silicone implant placed under the muscle during the skin sparing mastectomy. My surgery wasn’t free of complications; necrotic tissue had to be removed in surgery on May 3rd (12 years to the day of my left breast mastectomy) and then infection set in which hospitalized me for 4 days. This left me with an open wound on my right chest mound for 5 weeks. Thankfully all healed well, even though chemo was put off by two weeks.
Chemo therapy started May 26th, 2007, the first of 4 treatments of AC every 21 days, then 4 treatments of Taxol with Herceptin. When that is complete after 6 months, I face 28 radiation treatments over 5 and half weeks. Herceptin continues for 9 more months, totaling 12 months, and once every 21 days. My final diagnosis was that I have invasive ductal carcinoma that is Estrogen and Progesterone negative but Her2 positive and node positive. From beginning to the end of treatment is 18 months. For my two young girls ages 4 and 2, this is a large percentage of their lives at this point. Though I’m grateful that they are young, and this hardly seems to be affecting them. It is my hope that when they are older they will only vaguely remember that “silly” Mommy shaved her head bald once. I’m glad the fear doesn’t get to be a part of this journey for them and I choose that fear doesn’t get to be a part of my journey either.