A Blessing From Cancer
 

I have been missing from our wonderful board. My life has been turned upside down, but this time with an incredible miracle that started one hour after waking up from my lumpectomy.

When I was diagnosed in 2011, I was told very clearly that my life was about to change. Plans my husband and I had were going to change. My Oncologist was raw and told me the cancer I had was very aggressive, but I had a shot with chemo and Herceptin. The drawback, I had to start chemo immediately as she believed the results of my PET scan would show Stage 4. But luckily I was Stage IIB which gave me the opportunity to have a lumpectomy and that meant I would have just enough time to undergo IVF during my recovery of 10 days before starting chemo. So, I woke up from surgery and HELL began. Nothing says living nightmare like going through IVF with drains hanging out of your chest and Femara being pumped in so the spike in Estrogen doesn't feed the cancer. I was able to freeze 4 embryos and then two days later I started chemo. Fast forward 3 years when the "brace yourself for a possible recurrence" passed. My Oncologist gave me a pat on the back on my 3 year NED anniversary and said, "you made it through one of the hurdles". So I asked if I could try and carry one of the embryos to which I got a big fat NO. So my husband and I did our research and saved every dime. Two years later we found our option with an angel willing to carry our baby. But alas, when we finally went through all the legal crap, financial nightmares and medical obstacles, our 4 embryos turned to one. Only one made it to blast and was transferred with a 13% chance of sticking. But he stuck and grew and grew. And this June our cancer miracle will make his grand appearance.
So I am 5.5 years NED, still have my boo-hoo moments and my OMG has it come back. I went through 2015 in and out of emergency surgeries because of Tamoxifen ending the year with a blood clot again because of Tamoxifen. But 2016 was a glorious beginning of a journey that will explode with the arrival of this little baby. Ladies, if you are diagnosed young, ask about fertility preservation. It worked for us. And so did Gestational Surrogacy. Sending love and light to all my sisters...those here and those that have earned their wings.

Re: A Blessing From Cancer
 

Wow what an uplifting story, europa!
Congrats on the very soon arrival of your son, yes miracles do happen!
And also on being 5.5 years out, good for you.

all the best
caya

Re: A Blessing From Cancer
 

Yes, yes, yes!! Congratulations to you. Thank you for sharing.

Re: A Blessing From Cancer
 

That is so wonderful! So happy for you! God Bless.

Re: A Blessing From Cancer
 

Beautiful, beautiful story. Congratulations on your little miracle.

Re: A Blessing From Cancer
 

europa;

Wonderful news! I am so happy for you and your husband. June isn't very far away. Please post pictures.

Cathy

Re: A Blessing From Cancer
 

Europa,
Congratulations! I am so happy for you and I too want to see pictures. And congrats on your 5 1/2 years!

Re: A Blessing From Cancer
 

That's so fantastic! I'm really, really happy for you. So amazing that you got a baby out of the deal!

Live, love, thrive, and enjoy!

Amy

Re: A Blessing From Cancer
 

Congratulations on your baby and on 5.5 years at NED. It’s great to hear some good news for a change.

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12/15 – First mammogram
01/16 – Second mammogram and ultrasound.
01/16 – Meet surgeon and go for third mammogram, second ultrasound and biopsy. Surgeon confirms cancer in left breast and lymph nodes and sets surgery date.
01/16 – Chest scan and bone scan done– all looks good.
02/16 – Surgery - left breast mastectomy and 16 lymph nodes removed (8 had cancer).
02/16 – CT scan done – small nodules on lung but Doctor advises it’s post surgical. They will continue to monitor just in case.
03/16 – Meet radiation oncologist and find out results of Pathology Report. I’m told that I have locally advanced breast cancer, based on the size of my tumour (7 cm!) and the fact that they found cancer cells in eight lymph nodes. I’m also told that I’m HER 2 positive, with high levels of estrogen and progesterone and that my cancer is stage 3, grade 2.
03/16 – Meet oncologist and am told that my cancer is actually grade 3, and that I should have done chemo before surgery. Too late now!
03/16 – Start first of six doses of chemo (Carboplatin and Docetaxal) and Herceptin (for 18 months). I was unable to get a full dose of Docetaxal after my first treatment due to liver enzymes being high.
04/16 – Have port put in.
06/16 – Finished chemo! One month off and then I start radiation.
06/16 – Start Tamoxifen.
07/16 – First radiation treatment – 24 more to go!
08/16 – Went for Genetic Testing to see if I have the BRCA gene. Tested negative for BRCA I and II
08/16 – Radiation oncologist biopsies “scar tissue” on my chest wall. I am told that I have a local recurrence and need to have rush surgery.
09/16 – Meet surgeon who advises that I need to meet with a plastic surgeon, as they will need to do a skin graft to close me up after surgery. Meet plastic surgeon and all looks good. A surgery date is set for October 4.
09/16 – Go for rush ultrasound, bone scan, breast MRI and CT scan.
09/16 – Meet oncologist who advises that the ultrasound and bone scan results look good, and that MRI shows three small masses at surgery site, but lymph nodes are clear. Still awaiting the results of the CT scan, but we are positive it will look good.
09/16 – Get a call from my oncologist, who advises that CT scan shows small spots on my lungs, and a large lymph node in the middle of my chest. This means the cancer has spread! She looks into getting me funded for TDM-1 and cancels my surgery.
10/16 – Meet oncologist, who advises that I have to take Perjeta before I can take TDM1. I start Perjeta/Herceptin every three weeks for an indefinite amount of time, and Taxol, which I will take two weeks in a row with one week off and then two weeks in a row for 8-16 treatments. Stop Tamoxifen.
10/16 – Meet surgeon, who reviews my CT scan and advises that the spots on my lungs may not be cancer, and that he doesn’t see a lymph node in my chest. He thinks it’s a spot on my lung. I’m feeling very confused! He advises that my oncologist doesn’t want me to have surgery to remove the three small masses on my scar line, as she wants to use them as a way to determine if the treatment is working. He advises that if they have not shrunk in 6 months, he will revisit surgery.
10/16 – CEA blood test to determine Tumour markers. Results were normal (2.7). My doctor advises that this could mean two things: (1) that the treatment is working, and the tumours are shrinking, or (2), that I'm one of those people who never get elevated CEA levels. Given that some people never get an elevated CEA level, this test doesn’t seem very accurate to me! Asked for PET scan, but am told I don’t qualify.
10/16 – Brain MRI – NED!
11/16 - CA-15-30 blood test – Tumour markers are normal at 19.
11/16 – Second CEA blood test – Tumours markers are still normal at 1.6 Second CA-15-30 blood test – Tumour markers are still normal at 19
11/16 – Develop lymphedema and have to wear a sleeve
12/16 – CT Scan shows that the tumors on my lungs and the lymph node in the middle of my chest are shrinking, and that some have resolved. Also, the small masses along my scar line are no longer visible. This means the medication is working!
12/16 – Small “pimple” shows up where old tumour on chest wall was located. Doctor is going to monitor it for now.
01/17 – A second “pimple” shows up on chest wall, as well as a small lump under the skin. My doctor thinks it’s scar tissue and will monitor it for now.
03/17 – Third CEA blood test and CA-15-30 blood test – Both normal at 2.5 and 25
03/17 – CT Chest scan to see if there’s improvement to chest and lungs – results are mixed. The good news is, lymph nodes are stable, there is improvement of previous lung changes due to radiation, and the cancer has not spread to my bones, spine or liver, etc. The bad news is that while some lung nodules remained stable, others increased by 1-2 mm and new ones have shown up. All of them were less than 1cm.
03/17 – Received my genetic test results from Foundation One. It found 11 genomic alterations, 3 therapies associated with potential clinical benefit, and 13 clinical trials from which I might benefit.
03/17 – Second brain MRI –NED!
03/17 – Ultrasound done to determine size of “pimples” on my chest wall. They will follow up with a second Ultrasound in three months, to see if they are growing.
04/17 – Was told that I have developed Atelectasis due to shortness of breath, and a pulled diaphragm, which is what’s causing my back pain. I need to see a chiropractor physio for chest therapy.
05/17 – Hospitalized with a mild case of pneumonia.
05/17 – Full body CT scan show progression to lungs and chest – Bye bye Herceptin/Perjeta/Taxol, hello T-DM1

Re: A Blessing From Cancer
 

What great news! Congratulations

Re: A Blessing From Cancer
 

Europa CONGRATULATIONS! I too have been absent from the board for awhile now and what a wonderful feeling I got when I read your good news! So happy for you and your family, wishing you all the best when you bring your new bundle of joy home. There are happy endings to our stories and yours is one of the best :)

Re: A Blessing From Cancer
 

Wonderful, so happy for you!

Re: A Blessing From Cancer
 

Thank you all for the lovely notes. We are due next week.