Why I'm blogging ...

I'm using this blog to update family and friends on my journey. I'll post findings, how I'm feeling and what's next! Please feel free to leave a  comment and check back for updates.

It all really started May, 2012 when I was dx with Stage III invasive ductal carcinoma at the age of 38 and was subsequently treated with 6 rounds of Chemo, left breast mastectomy, and radiation. Since my cancer was Hers2 positive I was treated with herceptin iv for a year. It was estrogen and progesterone negative so hormone therapy was not warranted (i.e. Tamoxifen). At my reconstruction surgery in July 2013, DCIS was found in tissue of my right breast so had a right mastectomy with final reconstruction Dec 5, 2013.

A few days after my Dec 5th recon surgery, I noticed a cough which I thought was reflux and treated it with Prilosec. It takes a few weeks for Prilosec to work and I thought it got better but by mid- January it was still there. My rad onc thought my lungs sounded clear but ordered a chest X-ray which was normal. A few more weeks went by, cough still there and now I was short of breath going up stairs. And my back, neck and shoulder muscles were very sore from all the coughing. I had a chest CT scan (2/20/14) which showed "spots" on my liver, lung, sternum and spine and pneumonia in my lower rt lobe. PET scan (2/24/14) confirmed but also revealed spots on my femurs, scapula, and pelvis and my lung (not so much lesions but in the lymph system of my lung's weblike outer lining).... Pneumonia is better if not gone, and my cough muscles finally relaxed. I had an echo (2/21/14)  to get a baseline of my heart EF (ejection fraction) which was good at 45%. I still have SOB (shortness of breath), probably from the ca on my lungs, so was prescribed prednisone to decrease any inflammation.
Plan:
- have port placed Monday (3/3)
- depending upon results of lymph biopsy (2/25/14) (results will determine if the cancer is still hers2 positive so should respond to Hers2 receptor blocking chemo), start Chemo.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers.