Week 5: Part 2

Hi all - Lisa here again!

I’ve gotten some questions about my diagnosis, and I’ve found that it’s difficult to find good information online with regards to metastatic breast cancer. The first few links that pop up are sponsored ads by pharmaceutical companies. The Cleveland Clinic page does have some good info as a starting point for those who are wanting to learn more about this here. 

I’ve also been finding this really helpful - she also has a podcast with the same name. A lot of it is about running, which I’m not interested in, but the episode from June 6, 2025 is where she shares the news about her metastatic breast cancer diagnosis and it really encapsulates so much of what I’ve been thinking and feeling. It’s a tough listen, so only do it when you’re feeling prepared for that. Various other episodes cover her journey through chemo and the people she has supporting her, and I’m finding it really nice to feel less alone in this by hearing her story.

I've read that about 6% of women who receive a breast cancer diagnosis already have metastatic breast cancer. It’s rare, and it doesn’t necessarily happen because someone noticed a lump and didn’t do anything about it for months or years. You can have breast cancer without any breast symptoms. However in most cases, it really is about early detection. According to the American Cancer Society, women between 40 and 44 have the option to start screening with a mammogram every year, and women 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year. Also, women are encouraged to be familiar with how their breasts normally look and feel and should report any changes to a health care provider right away. This includes those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as significant changes might not just be hormonal.

For myself - I’ve been going over the timeline in my head constantly trying to make sense of it all.

In October 2025, I went to the doctor after I noticed some low-level pain and a rash on my breast. My regular PCP wasn’t available. She diagnosed me with a mild case of shingles, gave me some meds and did blood work. The meds got rid of both the pain and the rash, and the blood work was normal, but the shingles diagnosis didn’t sit right with me.

I noticed a lump in the same breast 2 days before Christmas. I set up an appointment with my regular PCP for her first available date of January 9; she was reassuring. I even checked her note from that visit recently - “cautious reassurance provided.” She ordered a diagnostic mammogram & ultrasound, and the earliest available appointment for that was in Jersey, on January 22. I went into that appointment thinking it was probably nothing and came out with the knowledge that there was a significant chance of breast cancer. Even then, the first available biopsy was not until Wednesday February 4. We got the results the next day, met with the breast surgeon and oncologist the following Monday, February 9, and they ordered a bunch of other tests including the PET scan, which I was told was very unlikely to show any spread. The earliest available date for that was February 18. Two days later, on the 20th, was when we first got the news that certain areas on the PET “lit up,” a sign that the cancer had spread. From what I understand, this is actually a pretty quick turnaround from start to finish, but of course the time in between each test felt like an eternity and I keep wondering if things had happened just a little sooner, would the outcome have been different?

We were SO not expecting the news that the cancer had spread. It was a huge gut punch. I felt like I was finally wrapping my head around having breast cancer and having the next year of my life look entirely different than we had planned. I knew that I would likely have to hold off on having another baby for close to three years, as the plan was for me to get treatment, surgery, and two years of tamoxifen before I could try to conceive. The new knowledge that my body will not be able to carry another baby at all has been really hard. I no longer have a good sense of what our family or my own future will look like. I’m so insanely grateful that I was able to have Archie and breastfeed; the feeding was so challenging but also one of the greatest joys I’ve ever experienced.

Lastly, George shaved my head today - what a weird feeling! I’ll be debuting my new hair tomorrow but not before Archie sees me bald. We thought a lot about how to make this as easy as possible for him, and prepared him with some books in advance. Hopefully he thinks it’s funny and not terrifying! Pictures to come when I’m ready!

Right now I’m still dealing with an aggravating cold and mentally trying to prepare for Chemo Round 2 next Monday. My parents will be arriving soon and I’m hoping we can take advantage of the weekend before chemo starts again.

Thanks for reading!

Lisa