I appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement during this time when it matters most. Please read my journal from the beginning and check for updates to know what has transpired. Thank you for your prayers, thoughts, and words of encouragement in my guestbook. - Love, Traci
On December 5, 2017 I was diagnosed with breast cancer......
After seeing many strong women I know post about the importance of mammograms, I decided I needed to schedule one for myself as it had been three years since my last mammogram.
On November 29th and 30th, 2017 I had a mammogram as well as a breast ultrasound. These screenings showed microcalcifications and fine linear branching in my left breast highly suggestive of malignancy, which warranted a breast biopsy.
On December 5, 2017 following the breast biopsy I was diagnosed with invasive grade 3 of 3 carcinoma with mixed ductal and lobular features as well as focal high grade ductal carcinoma in situ.
In meeting with my doctors mid December, a chemotherapy plan was initiated and I was set to have a lymph node biopsy at the breast center. When I went to the breast center appointment the doctor reviewed my earlier scans and suggested I have additional body scanning done as he had concern of possible metastasis. His concern was also based upon my telling him of bone pain that I had been experiencing since last winter following two bouts of upper respiratory flu. I had been told I had costochondritis (inflammation of the cartilage that connects the ribs to the breastbone), however nothing I did could ever ease this pain.
On Tuesday, January 2, 2018 I had a CT scan. Those results showed extensive disease/spread to my bones. My oncologist was concerned that not only may I have breast cancer but in addition I may have multiple myeloma. We needed to rule this out as it would then be two very different treatment plans. I was next scheduled for a bone biopsy to confirm 100% what diseases I was dealing with.
On January 4th and 5th, 2018 I had MRI scans and my bone biopsy.
On January 5th, 2018 I was given my official diagnosis of stage 4 breast cancer with metastasis to the bones.
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