It all began on Wednesday, July 13, 2011 ... I noticed a small lump in my left breast. Within the next 2 weeks, I saw my primary care physician, had a mammogram, an ultrasound, an appointment with a breast specialist, and a biopsy. Then ... the diagnosis ... one week after the biopsy.
This past week has been overwhelming. First, trying wrap my head around what is happening to me has been difficult ... to say the least. And, the waiting ... waiting for results to determine what it all means ... I think that has been the most difficult part, thus far. Well, with the help and support of many doctors, family, friends, and friends of friends, we are starting to gather some much needed information. Here is what we know ...
1. I have triple-negative breast cancer. This type of breast cancer will not respond to effective receptor targeted treatments that are often prescribed to women with other types of breast cancer. It does, however, respond well to chemotherapy ... good news ... even if I lose my hair!
2. My tumor is somewhere between 1.1 and 1.8 centimeters ... which means it can be surgically removed via a lumpectomy, if I choose, followed by 6 weeks of radiation. Or, I can opt for a mastectomy and reconstruction, which will eliminate the need for radiation immediately following surgery.
3. My MRI shows no evidence of lymph node involvement ... which is also good news! Hopefully, this means that we are looking at an early stage ... possibly a stage 1 or 2. The actual stage and lymph node status cannot be determined until surgery.
At this point, we are still waiting on additional test results that will help us determine treatment strategies. Of course, as we learn more, I will be posting updates here ... so please stay tuned!
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