Grammy

Grammy
-By Kate, from PA

A pink crescent on my skin near my armpit-what the heck is that I wondered?  It looked like irritation from my sports bra, strange but not worrisome. I had had a bilateral mastectomy just 15mos before after a diagnosis of LCIS in my left breast. With an extensive family history of breast cancer, I went all the way to save myself from cancer. I even had immediate reconstruction using tissue from my abdomen, and was happy with the outcome. So this could not be cancer - right?  WRONG.

The pink rash continued to spread downward into my left breast, which started to swell and become painful as I searched for a diagnosis. I was treated with antibiotics by my family practitioner, and then had an MRI ordered by my plastic surgeon. I went to see him because I thought something was wrong with the transplanted tissue. He wanted me to see a dermatologist, but listened to me when I told him that prescription and over the counter creams were having not effect and I just knew something else was wrong with my breast. He did a punch biopsy, and the next day I had my answer. Not only was it cancer, it was Inflammatory Breast Cancer, something I had never heard about.  With tears pouring down my cheeks, I turned to the internet to read about IBC.  I found out that it is rare, aggressive and kills-sometimes in as little as 18mos.  I was in utter and complete shock......

After extensive testing (PET, CT, and Bone Scans, bloodwork etc) I found I was Stage IV, HER2+++ with mets to L4 and the first right rib. I had been catapulted from successful breast cancer warrior and survivor into IBC land and a death sentence. It was hard to comprehend after all I had done to avoid breast cancer.

Two and a half years later, I am still on chemotherapy and still fighting progressions. My latest progression is a few skin met bumps under the skin near my right scar line. I am told that skin mets are hard to treat, resistant and persistent. This is not good news for someone who has been trying so hard to reach the coveted land of NED, or at least a state of no active disease for a time.

Oh, and I will never be a survivor, unless a cure is found.