Kevy
06-18-2003, 11:33 AM
Nursing my 4th child my left breast became hard and sore. Could express blood with milk (ick!) Thought I had damaged my breast with frozen towels to get the swelling down trying to get the milk out. Called gyn told to stop nursing it was probably hormonal take the pill for 3 months. After 3 months told it could be an infection put on antibiotics for a week no improvement. Finally got an appt. and a trip to the breast doc. Sonogram warranted a mammogram.
Diagnosed the day after my 40th birthday (June 2000)(welcome to the 40's!) with DCIS after core needle biopsy and mammogram showing calcifications throughout my entire left breast.
Double mastectomy with TRAM reconstruction sentinel node biopsy node negative. ER-/HER2 3+. Surgery proved infiltrating ductal carcinoma no stage grade III. Told to go ahead and do chemo then get on with my life. 4 rounds A/C.
1st recurrence - (12 months later) node in armpit swelled up within days. Same pain as I had in my breast. FNA proved spread to lymph nodes. 12 rounds Herceptin/Taxol full response. 27 radiation treatments to axilla.
2nd recurrence - (11 months later) pinkish bruise appears near nipple of my reconstructed breast. Over a few weeks it gets larger and finally starts hurting feels exactly like my cancer. Also small nodules appear on skin near scar line. FNA proves spread to local skin area. Left mastectomy 33 radiation treatments to left chest wall.
Started 3 week dosage of Herceptin on June 11 2003.
Diagnosed the day after my 40th birthday (June 2000)(welcome to the 40's!) with DCIS after core needle biopsy and mammogram showing calcifications throughout my entire left breast.
Double mastectomy with TRAM reconstruction sentinel node biopsy node negative. ER-/HER2 3+. Surgery proved infiltrating ductal carcinoma no stage grade III. Told to go ahead and do chemo then get on with my life. 4 rounds A/C.
1st recurrence - (12 months later) node in armpit swelled up within days. Same pain as I had in my breast. FNA proved spread to lymph nodes. 12 rounds Herceptin/Taxol full response. 27 radiation treatments to axilla.
2nd recurrence - (11 months later) pinkish bruise appears near nipple of my reconstructed breast. Over a few weeks it gets larger and finally starts hurting feels exactly like my cancer. Also small nodules appear on skin near scar line. FNA proves spread to local skin area. Left mastectomy 33 radiation treatments to left chest wall.
Started 3 week dosage of Herceptin on June 11 2003.