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rethink breast cancer
Newly diagnosed
My story is the classic "I found lumps in the shower..."  I have no family history of BC  so really wasn't terribly worried as I headed to the doctor.  She wasn't worried either but ordered a mammogram anyway since I was just past my 40th birthday. The images were "not reassuring" so I had a biopsy performed the next day on a Saturday morning.  Results by Tuesday indicated "BENIGN"!  Yeah!  But my surgeon insisted those lumps should come out regardless.  Fine.  I had a lumpectomy the next week.
Then the "fun" began...
It most certainly was NOT benign.  In fact it was a Grade II and Her2+ cancer.  WTF??

Fast forward one month and I've now had 16 lymph nodes removed (ALL negative :-), a myriad of tests (all negative :-), and am preparing myself to begin chemo in 5 days.  I will have 16 weeks of chemo (the A-C-T regime), radiation in the spring, one year of herceptin, and 5 years of tamoxifen.

Initially my concern was how to prevent lymphedema (I'm a pianist) but now I just want to live to see my girls graduate from elementary school.
3 Comments
Inez
Inez
Thinking of you and sending you lots of positive vibes. I started my first chemo Dec 15, just had my second on the 5th.
(1/11/2010 1:31:10 AM)
Heather
Heather
Inez, I go every two weeks so I had #2 on Dec. 29 and #3 today, January 12. I have one more A-C then switch to taxol in February, then taxol + herceptin for three more, then herceptin for one year + radiation in May. Oh yeah, and tamoxifen for 5 years.
(1/13/2010 3:09:37 AM)
Sue
Sue
Hi Heather - How are you doing now? At age 43, I was also diagnosed with stage 2 HER 2 positive breast cancer. However, I did also have 4 lymph nodes that tested positive for cancer as well. I had a mastectomy, chemo and radiation. Just finished radiation just over a month ago. I'm also on Herceptin for a year. Hope you are staying strong - good luck. Sue
(2/4/2010 6:55:35 PM)

Heather
Joined: 12/3/2009
Age 40, Stage II, Triple positive IDC. Married with three young daughters. In chemotherapy now.
Heather's story
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