Susan’s Story

Site created on January 29, 2016

I'm a 49 year old mother of two wonderful young ladies. I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in the right breast on 21 December 2015 (Stage 2A). I have no family history and I am BRCA negative. My Oncotype DX score is 14, which should mean a low recurrence rate. My cancer is hormone treatable with the current prescription being tamoxifen since I'm pre-menopausal. I've had three biopsies, two lumpectomies, and two lymph nodes removed. Since cancer  was still present throughout the ducts and in the surrounding tissue, a bi-lateral mastectomy with reconstruction was completed on 28 June 2016.  I'm currently progressing through the reconstruction process as well as dealing with the side effects of tamoxifen.

Newest Update

Journal entry by Susan Miller

Well - it's been a couple of years since I've written in my journal.  It seems that these posts are never good news and this one is no different.  I've been accompanying my 86-year-old Mom to medical appointments since she found a lump in her breast.  Today was the "cancer" talk with an Oncologist. She has Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer in several areas in her bones.  The plan is hormone therapy to slow the progression.  My heart wants me to fall apart but my mind says to stay AS STRONG as she is being right now.  The plan will be hormone therapy is slow the progression and do a comparison PETSCAN in 3 months to see how the treatment plan is working.  We had a couple of laughs today - one was when she had nothing to put on the forms for medical history and only a blood pressure med to list - not bad for an 86-year-old.  My medical history is quite a bit longer.  The second laugh was when she was getting into that gorgeous paper top and tore it while struggling to get it on.  She asked the Oncologist for some tape when he came in - we all got a laugh out of it.  Now we wait the insurance approval for the medicines.  Please keep her (Mary) in your prayers - she has strong faith in God and knows He will see her through.  I am so blessed to be on this journey with her! 
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