Mary Fowler Mary Rie's Journey

Welcome to my site! Thanks for checking in and for helping me to keep many people in the loop easily.  Why we're here:  I have been diagnosed with Triple Negative Invasive Carcinoma in my right breast.  The tumour was removed without incident October 16.   The pathology report indicated that the tumour was Stage 1 (under 2cm without lymph involvement) and Grade 3.  A triple negative tumour does not respond to hormone therapy.   Triple negative cancer returns 70% of the time.  It spreads rapidly and jumps all over.   The pathology report showed nothing in the lymph nodes so we know it has not traveled through the lymphatic system.  What we can't know is if it has traveled through my bloodstream.  And so that means full on chemo therapy, followed by radiation.  Chemo dates: Dec 7, Dec 28, Jan 18, Feb 8, Mar 1, Mar 22.  6 rounds in total.  A round is a full 3 week cycle.  It takes about 2.5 hours for the treatment.  Once I finish chemo, I will have a 4 week break, then 3-6 weeks of radiation, Monday-Friday once a day in Saint John, I will live and work at Alexandra's during this time.  I have a wonderful team of oncology professionals working for me.  I am being cared for in a top notch oncology facility and I am in very good hands. Things I may  face during chemo:   I will lose all my hair (bonus no shaving!!)  Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, skin rash, headache, sinus pressure, bone pain, chemo fog (cognitive and memory difficulties), neuropathy (loss of feeling in feet and hands), heart damage, liver and kidney damage, skin and nail changes, taste and smell changes, mouth sores... Also from day 6 through day 12 I am neutropenic which means I can't eat out, be in crowds or around sick people as my white blood cells plummet and leave me with no ability  to fight any bug I pick up.    I think that's it!  Fingers crossed I don't see all of it, but I'm telling you, this is no walk in the park folks.  It's scary and for someone who thrives on being prepared it's frustrating as hell not knowing what lies ahead.