How did you find out?

This is one of the most common questions people ask. Did you find a lump yourself? Did your doctor find it? How did you know? I'll start at the beginning ... 

In September of 2014 I found a lump in my left breast. Boobs are lumpy feeling anyway, so I never thought I'd actually know if there was an abnormal lump in there. Trust me, you'll know. It's very different feeling, and you'll know. At the beginning of October I went in to see my gynecologist, secretly hoping she would tell me I was paranoid and that everything felt normal. Turns out she felt it too and sent me to UCSF to get a fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) done. She didn't think it was breast cancer, it didn't have the characteristics of breast cancer, it was likely a common benign mass called a Fibroadenoma. A couple days later my doctor called me and UCSF had confirmed her suspicions, it was a Fibroadenoma and totally harmless. I didn't need to do anything about it. 

In January of this year, I went back to that same doctor for my annual exam and told her I thought the lump had gotten a little bigger, plus it was sore. She referred me to a breast surgeon just for a consultation and to talk about having it removed. I got in to see the surgeon at the beginning of February and she had already reviewed the pathology results from UCSF. She's a thorough doctor and did a quick ultra sound in her office and she thought the mass looked a little abnormal so she wanted me to get further imaging done. A couple weeks later I had a more detailed ultra sound done, as well as a mammogram. The radiologist who read the mammogram thought it would be a good idea for me to come back in to get a core biopsy done. A week later, I did just that. 

Two days later they called me with the results and turns out it wasn't a Fibroadenoma at all. I was angry with UCSF for missing this. They're a great hospital, how did this happen? An FNA is a biopsy done with a very small needle, so the sample they get is not always the best. I wish they would have requested further imaging. I wish they would have done a core biopsy at the beginning. But they didn't and I'm lucky that I went back to the doctor a few months later and sought further opinions. 

Now that we know what we're dealing with, I have a team of amazing doctors on my side. I'm getting my first treatment this Wednesday, March 25. I have the dates of all of my chemo treatments written on my calendar. I'm waiting to count them down. After Wednesday I'll be 1/6 of the way through. Doesn't sound so bad. 

Ladies, go feel your boobs! Seriously, just do it. 

xo,

Ali 

So you're telling me I have breast cancer

The past couple weeks have been a total whirlwind. Never did I expect to hear a doctor tell me I have breast cancer, especially at 33. I remember everything about the phone call, every little detail from the nurse -  "We got your results and I'm afraid it's not good news." 

I was sitting at work when I got the call. It was 5pm on Friday, March 6 and I had just poured myself a glass of wine. The nurse was very nice and explained everything to me as best she could and then told me about my appointments I had lined up for the next week. Oncologist? Was I seriously going to see an oncologist? Here goes nothin. Little did I know that I'd be in a different doctor's office every day for the next 8 days. 

On Monday, March 9 Matt and I met with my surgeon and she explained the pathology results in a little more depth to us. The cancer is slow growing (yay!), estrogen and progesterone receptor positive, as well as HER2 receptor positive, otherwise known as triple positive. We like triple positive, it's treatable and, even better, it's curable! In terms of a breast cancer diagnosis, I've got the good one - after my treatments, this asshole tumor will be gone for good. I plan on having a big going away party for it, boob themed of course. 

The next several days consisted of other doctors appointments ... two oncologists, my gyno, an MRI, a fertility doctor, an EKG/Echo & getting my port put in. I've been in 8 different doc offices since Monday, March 9 and tomorrow will be the first day where I don't have an appt. Hallelujah! 

The results from the MRI were great. I have the one small tumor in my left breast & all of my nodes looked clear. Best news we could have hoped for! I'm slowly turning bionic now that I have a titanium clip in from the biopsy and a port in my chest. I had no idea what a port was before this experience ... it's basically this little heart shaped catheter that is under my skin under my collarbone and has a tube that goes to a major vein in my chest. It's how I'll receive treatments so I don't have to keep getting poked in the arm every time they do chemo, need to take blood, etc. I just got it put in this morning and it hurts, I'm not going to lie. I've been told it'll hurt for a few days and then I'll never even be able to notice it. Fingers crossed. 

The next steps are treatment. Chemo - ugh. I'll have 6 treatments total, one every 3 weeks. There will be a whole cocktail of meds I'll be receiving, some specifically to attack that HER2 positive receptor, and from what I know, these are cancer wonder drugs. My tumor will likely be totally gone when I'm done with treatment and I'll just have to have a simple lumpectomy. All my doctors tell me that I shouldn't feel too bad as I go through treatments and that I should be able to work and live a normal life for the most part. 

I'll try to keep this updated as much as I can since I know there are so many people following me along in this journey. I appreciate & love you all. I've never felt the love like I have in the past couple weeks. It's been nothing short of incredible. 

My first treatment hasn't been scheduled but it's likely to occur within the next week. The next 4.5 months will be a roller coaster - chemo isn't going to be a party but it's better than the alternative. I'm so lucky we found this early and am so fortunate to live in a city with incredible doctors. One step, one day, one treatment at a time. Time to kick some cancer ass! 

xo,

Ali