Laura’s Story

Site created on November 27, 2018

On Monday, November 5th, it felt like my world came crashing down. I was told I had been diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. Trust me, I was just as shocked as I can you imagine you are right now (and still am in some ways)....but it is really important for me to let you all know and keep you updated on my journey. I have all intentions on kicking this thing's ASS and I will need all of you fighting along with me! 

Here's the "Reader's Digest" version of my diagnosis...my doctor found a lump at my annual OBGYN and wanted to get an ultrasound, which inevitably led to a biopsy that came back positive. I’ve been going through all kinds of tests and scans over the last few weeks which will contribute to my treatment plan, which I will start to learn more about on Friday, December 7th, in what will be the first of several meetings with the oncologist. 

They are considering it Grade 3, but so far all other body scans have come back negative. So the good thing is that it's contained and hasn't spread anywhere else in my body. The bad news is that I tested positive for the BRCA gene mutation...which explains why I'm 33 with breast cancer. It just shouldn't be happening! It also might have some impact on my treatment plan, but as I mentioned above, I'm not sure what that means yet. Based on family history alone I had a 34-48% chance of having it, so it wasn't entirely unexpected. In a way it is a bit of a blessing, because of that, I'll be required to be checked twice a year, which makes me think that if anything else develops down the road, odds will be that it will be caught early. 

So it’s been an emotional roller coaster of a couple weeks. I still have trouble believing it’s actually true. Anywho...I’m not sure of the next steps or what the next 6 months/year of my life is going to look like, but feel free to ask me ANY questions you want...I’m totally comfortable sharing as much or as little as you want to know. My plan will be to update this page as regularly as possible, but please feel reach out if you want to talk about it further/check-in/ask how I'm doing, etc. I'm not hiding from this and I want to keep living my life as normally as possible. You will all be a big part of making that happen! 

As a very wise coworker told me, "Wonder Woman is a state of mind." And I plan to embrace that mindset to the absolute fullest. 
Love to you all!
xoxoxo
Laura

Newest Update

One Year...

Journal entry by Laura Humphreys —

November 5th officially marks my first "Cancerversary" -- the day I got the dreaded phone call I never thought I would receive. At least not at this point in my life. Looking back, it seems like it was just yesterday -- but at the same time, like it happened to someone else and in a different lifetime entirely. But, I guess I've changed a lot since then. And I'll never be exactly the same person I was "pre-cancer".

I'm sure the next few weeks (and maybe even months) will bring back a flood of emotions and memories, but instead of dwelling on how terrible that time of my life was...I'm going to focus on the positives. 

Starting with another big milestone -- I am officially PORT-FREE! I had an outpatient procedure yesterday to have my port removed. It was fairly easy, with local anesthesia, so I really got to go about the rest of my (Victory) Monday, as usual. One more step in the road to getting some normalcy back into my life again.

For those of you not on Facebook/Instagram, the Ravens (yet again) surprised me with a couple very special moments in the last few weeks. First -- they honored me on the field during the National Anthem alongside 40 other cancer fighters/survivors prior to our "Crucial Catch" game against the Bengals in October. And then, just last week, Wink Martindale (our Defensive Coordinator), Head Coach, John Harbaugh, and Executive VP of PR, Kevin Byrne, presented me with the game coin from that game. I'm continually left speechless by all the endless support that I have here and how incredibly thoughtful people have been. 

Next up on the medical checklist is a procedure to remove my ovaries on 12/16. Since ovarian cancer is related to the BRCA gene mutation, it's another preventative measure we can take to avoid having to go through this nightmare again. Fortunately, the process of freezing my eggs means I can still have a baby of my own. And, at least for the time being, I have the option to carry it myself since my uterus is being preserved...for now. That procedure is laparoscopic and I'll only need to be out of work for a couple days. 

But for now, we'll celebrate another milestone! 

xoxoxo
Laura
Read More of the journal titled "One Year..."
  • Wink, Coach Harbs & Kevin
    Wink, Coach Harbs & Kevin
  • Shoutout to Shawn Hubbard for capturing a super emotional moment for me. 
    Shoutout to Shawn Hubbard for capturing a super emotional moment ...
Patients and caregivers love hearing from you; add a comment to show your support.
Help Laura Stay Connected to Family and Friends

A $25 donation to CaringBridge powers a site like Laura's for two weeks. Will you make a gift to help ensure that this site stays online for them and for you?

Leave a comment of support for Laura

Did you know? A quick comment, no matter the situation (positive or negative), can boost morale by 28.2%.

Comments Hide comments

Load more comments
Read More Journal Entries

Show Your Support

See the Ways to Help page to get even more involved.

Personal Fundraiser
Support Links
Helpful Requests
Go to Ways to Help
SVG_Icons_Back_To_Top
Top