My Journey Beyond the Shock
I titled this blog My Journey Beyond the Shock because once the true shock of this news hits you, you have to immediately start moving forward. There is no time to waste. After I found out I had cancer, I stumbled upon this wonderful, well-done video called Beyond the Shock. It is divided into chapters, but it doesn't take very long to watch. It begins by explaining basic breast anatomy, then breast cancer, diagnosis, types & stages, and treatments. If you are interested in learning more about breast cancer or know someone who may be about to face this battle, this is a great link!
What hospital do I go to?
I go to the Indiana University Melvin & Bren Simon Cancer Center in Indianapolis where I have an outstanding medical team. My Surgeon is Linda Han, M.D., and my Oncologist is Kathy Miller, M.D. These two doctors and their amazing staff have given me such personal attention that sometimes they make me feel like I am their only patient. That just doesn't happen very often. I have only known these women for less than a month, and I feel like I have known them for years. I have contact numbers for their RN's which allows me to contact them anytime I have a question or concern. And I never have to wait all day for an answer. I have been truly blessed with the best medical team for me!
What type of cancer do I have?
I will do my best to explain this as I understand it. I have two areas of cancer in one breast. The first area is called Ductal Carcinoma in Situ or DCIS. This is a non-invasive stage zero cancer that is still contained within the milk ducts and has not spread to any surrounding tissue. The second area is a 2 cm. tumor that is Invasive Ductal Carcinoma or IDC. This is a stage 1 cancer that has broke and spread out of the milk ducts. Fortunately, my cancer has not spread into my lymph nodes.
Cancer cell growth is often fueled by healthy chemicals in the body. My cancer cells are Estrogen positive and HER2 positive which means that they have receptors that feed on my estrogen and HER2/neu protein causing them to grow very rapidly. Before May 2005, this type of breast cancer was one of the worst types to have, as they did not know how to stop its rapid growth. Since May 2005, continued successful research has made this the best breast cancer to have. As my husband, Ben often says, "Only the best for you honey." We had to chuckle when we heard that I had the best one!
What is my treatment plan?
I am excited to say that I met all of the qualifications to be in a new clinical study. As soon as my doctor begin telling me about the study, I knew in my heart that I was supposed to do it. As I was explaining my option of doing this trial or not to a friend, she said, "I think it sounds like you have already made your decision." Fortunately, I have been given an opportunity to use my unfortunate cancer to help this extraordinary continued research and improve the future treatments of HER2+ and Estrogen+ breast cancer for the next group of women who are diagnosed and for the future of our daughters.
Most people are more familiar with treating breast care by having surgery, then radiation, and finally Chemo treatments. The trial I am taking part in has me doing neoadjuvant treatment, which is treatment you receive before surgery. So last Thursday, I began my treatments. Every three weeks, I will have an infusion of Heceptin, which is similar to chemo therapy but with much less severe side effects, along with several medications I take daily. I will then wait to have surgery 24 weeks into the treatment, which will be sometime in February.
The only way to restrict the HER2+ and Estrogen+ cancer growth is to inhibit the cancer’s “food supply” by blocking the cancer cells receptors. The Herceptin and another daily medication block the HER2 receptors on cancer cells while another pill blocks the estrogen receptors.
Now for the final question...
What is the difference between this pea and this grape?
If the treatments are working, the cancer cells are shrinking and dying. So, is it working? Take a look! After just one week of treatment, my tumor which was 2 centimeters, the size of the grape is now 7 millimeters, the size of the pea!
Yes, the treatments and all of your prayers are working!!! :) Let's kill some more cancer!
What hospital do I go to?
I go to the Indiana University Melvin & Bren Simon Cancer Center in Indianapolis where I have an outstanding medical team. My Surgeon is Linda Han, M.D., and my Oncologist is Kathy Miller, M.D. These two doctors and their amazing staff have given me such personal attention that sometimes they make me feel like I am their only patient. That just doesn't happen very often. I have only known these women for less than a month, and I feel like I have known them for years. I have contact numbers for their RN's which allows me to contact them anytime I have a question or concern. And I never have to wait all day for an answer. I have been truly blessed with the best medical team for me!What type of cancer do I have?
I will do my best to explain this as I understand it. I have two areas of cancer in one breast. The first area is called Ductal Carcinoma in Situ or DCIS. This is a non-invasive stage zero cancer that is still contained within the milk ducts and has not spread to any surrounding tissue. The second area is a 2 cm. tumor that is Invasive Ductal Carcinoma or IDC. This is a stage 1 cancer that has broke and spread out of the milk ducts. Fortunately, my cancer has not spread into my lymph nodes.
Cancer cell growth is often fueled by healthy chemicals in the body. My cancer cells are Estrogen positive and HER2 positive which means that they have receptors that feed on my estrogen and HER2/neu protein causing them to grow very rapidly. Before May 2005, this type of breast cancer was one of the worst types to have, as they did not know how to stop its rapid growth. Since May 2005, continued successful research has made this the best breast cancer to have. As my husband, Ben often says, "Only the best for you honey." We had to chuckle when we heard that I had the best one!
What is my treatment plan?
I am excited to say that I met all of the qualifications to be in a new clinical study. As soon as my doctor begin telling me about the study, I knew in my heart that I was supposed to do it. As I was explaining my option of doing this trial or not to a friend, she said, "I think it sounds like you have already made your decision." Fortunately, I have been given an opportunity to use my unfortunate cancer to help this extraordinary continued research and improve the future treatments of HER2+ and Estrogen+ breast cancer for the next group of women who are diagnosed and for the future of our daughters.
Most people are more familiar with treating breast care by having surgery, then radiation, and finally Chemo treatments. The trial I am taking part in has me doing neoadjuvant treatment, which is treatment you receive before surgery. So last Thursday, I began my treatments. Every three weeks, I will have an infusion of Heceptin, which is similar to chemo therapy but with much less severe side effects, along with several medications I take daily. I will then wait to have surgery 24 weeks into the treatment, which will be sometime in February.
The only way to restrict the HER2+ and Estrogen+ cancer growth is to inhibit the cancer’s “food supply” by blocking the cancer cells receptors. The Herceptin and another daily medication block the HER2 receptors on cancer cells while another pill blocks the estrogen receptors.
Now for the final question...
What is the difference between this pea and this grape?
If the treatments are working, the cancer cells are shrinking and dying. So, is it working? Take a look! After just one week of treatment, my tumor which was 2 centimeters, the size of the grape is now 7 millimeters, the size of the pea!
Yes, the treatments and all of your prayers are working!!! :) Let's kill some more cancer!
Those are dramatic results! Sounds like you do have the 'best' kind, if you have to have it at all.
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