Karen Self Karen's Journey

Life always has its ups and downs.  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

Thanksgiving 2016 I noticed a strange pain in my right breast area.  As we women tend to do, I felt it was nothing and would possibly go away.  I had a mammogram scheduled for early 2017 so I felt I would find out more then.  February 2017, I noticed some physical changes in my right breast.  I went to a previously scheduled appointment with my primary care doctor and he performed a breast exam.  I felt him repeatedly going over one specific area and I was concerned.  Afterwards, he told me that he thought I should go for a mammogram sooner than later.  We changed my appointment and I went a few days later.  I have been called back for a follow-up sonogram before and they typically found calcifications and would tell me not to worry about them.  This time was different; in my heart, I knew there was more going on inside me. 

I was called back for a sonogram, but this time they found two spots on my right breast.  They immediately scheduled me for a biopsy and told me that day that they felt it was malignant. This was devastating news.

My primary doctor referred me to a breast surgeon, Dr. Canavan.  As it turns out, her children and Tammy’s children went to school together.  In addition to her being a thorough, kind and well-loved surgeon, it feels good to know that she is someone we have a more personal relationship with.

During the sonogram, they noticed that there was a lymph node that appeared to have been infected.  Dr. Canavan scheduled a MRI and it revealed that it was malignant.  She then referred me to an oncologist, Dr. Gupta.  He is a patient and thorough doctor.  He spent as much time as I needed to go over my treatment plan and to answer any questions or concerns that I had.  I felt very confident in them both.

I will be having six rounds of chemo followed by radiation and surgery.  The hope is to stop the cancer from spreading and possibly save the lymph nodes.  I have had an EKG this week and will have a PET scan and surgery to place the port for chemo next week.  If all goes as planned, I will begin chemo on Thursday, April 20, 2017.

This journey is not something I ever imagined I would be on and I am counting on your prayers. I am just ready to take the next step and get the ball rolling.

 "They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles' wings.  They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint." Isaiah 40:31