Week 1: Initial Diagnosis

It was a busy first week and pretty overwhelming, but we started getting some answers and a direction for the treatment plan. It’s weird because on one hand, it feels like this whole process takes forever. Doctor’s have limited office hours, it takes forever to get results, get appointments, hear back from the nurses. On the other hand everything seems to be flying by so fast. In just one week we went from diagnosis to treatment plan, with so many appointments in between.

Monday

We met with the first surgeon and for the first time got a full run down of the pathology report and what it all means. We also were FINALLY able to ask all the questions running through our heads.

Later in the day we met with Amy’s OBGYN and she explained some more things, as well as provided a surgeon that she personally refers.

Wednesday

This was our second meeting with a surgeon and we were able to think a little more clearly and ask some extra questions that came up since Monday. On top of walking us through the pathology, she showed us the visuals from the mammogram and sonogram which was helpful. They had Amy do a few quick baseline tests and then they scheduled the major body scans for next week.

Our next major piece was to meet with an Oncologist. We had a doctor in mind and the surgeon’s office called in a referral for us, but we were told it can take a week or more to meet with some of these highly rated oncologists.

Friday

Originally there were no appointments scheduled for today, but Amy got a last minute call to see if we could come in to meet the Oncologist we requested. Apparently they got her request. saw her chart, and wanted to get her in so we weren’t waiting all weekend. Very kind, but also kind of nerve-racking.

We met with the doctor and once again got the full download and we now have an official name for this thing: Triple-Negative Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.

Within an hour we had a full treatment plan including chemo, surgery, radiation, recovery time, everything! Now things might still change but this is at least means we’re moving closer to fighting this thing.

The big takeaway

Yes, this is real. Amy has breast cancer. Triple-Negative Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.

It is considered fast-growing and invasive, meaning it is no longer contained within the duct and it has moved into nearby lymph nodes.

The cancer is not fueled by hormones or the HER2 protein.

The tumors are rated as Grade 3, meaning they are irregularly shaped and pretty nasty looking cells for lack of a better word.

Tumor grade is not the same as Cancer stage. We need more body scans to determine if the cancer has spread to any other part of her body.

Chemo is currently scheduled to start the first week of August and last for 20 weeks.