In July 2021, I was diagnosed with triple positive Stage 2B breast cancer with one positive lymph node, at my first ever routine mammogram and ultrasound at age 40.<\/p>\n
I have a family history, so I was able to start screening at age 40 in Alberta. My surgeon and oncologist were unable to feel the 4cm lump due to breast density. My family physician told me I have dense breasts, so proactively ordered an ultrasound to be done with the mammogram – I have since learned that you can\u2019t tell by feel if breasts are dense or not; it\u2019s determined from the mammogram. My mammogram results state that my breasts are heterogeneously dense (C). I visited a women\u2019s imaging clinic, and was able to have both tests, as well as the biopsy that followed, all on the same day. I am grateful I didn\u2019t have to wait for the biopsy as I was in complete shock about needing one.<\/p>\n
The most helpful self screening tip I received was from the mammogram tech. I was told to stand topless in front of a mirror once a month and lift my arms straight up over my head, and to look for puckers, skin changes, dimples, etc. When I got home I did just that, and I had a definite pucker exactly where my tumour was! I wish I would have known that tip earlier, as I might have caught my cancer sooner before it spread. I was also told to lean forward topless and inspect as well, as shape changes may be seen with a tumour. I feel like these tips are not as well known as they should be; I\u2019m an RN, and I didn\u2019t even know! Now it\u2019s my mission to make sure more people know to do these extra inspections with their self breast exams.<\/p>\n
I finished 16 months of treatment in Nov. 2022 after 20 rounds of chemotherapy, 23 doses of immunotherapy (for the HER2+), surgery, and radiation. I went through 6 extremely tough rounds of chemo and immunotherapy before surgery, and unfortunately, I still had residual disease when I had my lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy, so I was given the option to go back on a targeted chemo for 14 more rounds. I reluctantly agreed. It\u2019s a fairly new medication for my use (Kadcyla), and since it was mixed with the immunotherapy, the side effects weren\u2019t as terrible. I will also remain on Tamoxifen for 5 years due to being estrogen positive.<\/p>\n
I am glad to be finished treatment, but the fear of the cancer returning never leaves. I am still working with a therapist through my local cancer centre to help me transition back to my \u201cnormal life\u201d and to manage the fears. I feel like I\u2019m a different person since my diagnosis, and it\u2019s difficult to explain to people who have never fought cancer. My friends wanted to throw me a party for finishing treatment, but I wasn\u2019t as happy as I thought I would be to be done, so I declined the party. I tire easily and sometimes feel very alone, because many people seem to think that because I\u2019m done treatment, that I\u2019m \u201call better.\u201d<\/p>\n
I still haven\u2019t returned to work, though I hope to in the next few months. I still struggle daily with fatigue like I never knew existed. I am lucky that I have benefits through work, so I received disability payments.<\/p>\n
I will have a mammogram and ultrasound yearly from now on, and I will definitely be monitoring myself using the tips I received at my mammogram. I am going to ask my family physician if I qualify for additional screening as well (like MRI), based on what I have learned during the experience.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
En juillet 2021, on m'a diagnostiqu\u00e9 un cancer du sein triple positif de stade 2B avec un ganglion lymphatique positif, lors de ma premi\u00e8re mammographie et \u00e9chographie de routine \u00e0 l'\u00e2ge de 40 ans. J'ai des ant\u00e9c\u00e9dents familiaux et j'ai donc pu commencer le d\u00e9pistage \u00e0 l'\u00e2ge de 40 ans en Alberta. Mon chirurgien et mon oncologue n'ont pas pu sentir le...<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":29626,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[83],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n