Stefanie’s Stage 3 IDC Triple-Positive Breast Cancer Story

Stefanie shares her stage 3 triple-positive breast cancer diagnosis, undergoing chemotherapy and side effects, lumpectomy, and radiation therapy.

In her story, Stefanie also highlights how she navigated the hair loss post-chemo, how she approached work during treatment, and the impact of the breast cancer diagnosis on her marriage.

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This interview has been edited for clarity. This is not medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider for treatment decisions.

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Diagnosis

What were your first symptoms?

I was pregnant. I gave birth on October 4th, so 2 days before I found out everything. I found a lump in my breast while I was pregnant.

I was 5 months along when I noticed it. I was usually in and out at my appointments, so I brushed it off and thought it was a clogged duct. I just didn’t think anything of it. 

After I gave birth, one of the postpartum nurses said, “You have a lump on your breast.”

I said, “I know. It’s a clogged duct, and it’s gonna go away when I start nursing.” They did a sonogram that night, and my OB/GYN felt horrible for me. 

I got out of the hospital the next day, but I was just ready to go home right then. I wanted to crawl into my bed and forget this was happening. 

»MORE: Patients share how they processed a cancer diagnosis

Chemotherapy

What was your treatment plan?

Originally, I was going to do my 4 rounds of AC and 12 rounds of Taxol and Herceptin. Then we were going to do surgery. We decided on a lumpectomy, especially because my little one was so small.

My surgeon said she was confident she could get it all, so that’s what we were gonna do. You make plans, and God laughs. 

My ejection fraction was really low at one point, so they had to stop my Taxol and Herceptin. We did the surgery early. Because I had to stop chemo for a while, she said they were going to go ahead and operate.

That gave my heart some time to rebound. It did bounce back. I was under the care of a cardio specialist. 

What side effects did you experience from chemo?

I was fine the day after infusions. The day after that, I felt like a train hit me. My bones ached, I couldn’t hardly function, and I was nauseous.

They had given me anti-nausea medications, but I felt fine the day before, so I didn’t take them. I learned very quickly that even if you’re not feeling nauseous, you should still take the medicine. 

I would be tired and need a day to recuperate, but then I’d be okay. It wasn’t so bad. I felt so much better on the Taxol and Herceptin than I did on the AC.

I had some fatigue and diarrhea a couple of times, but other than that, it was so much easier. My hair started growing back during it, which I was not expecting. 

»MORE: Read other cancer patient experiences with chemotherapy

There was part of me that was just glad we were doing something and glad to be there fighting the cancer. There was another part of me that was nervous and just wondering what was going to happen. 

I ended up having to stay overnight. Calling your little kid and telling him you’re not going to be home that night is terrible. Not being able to hold your baby is one of the worst feelings in the world. 

»MORE: Read more patient experiences with surgery

What was recovery from surgery like?

I remember waking up from surgery, and my surgeon being there hugging me. She told me, “It’s good. You’re done. It’s all over.” She’s amazing.

I wasn’t in any pain when I woke up, thankfully. I had a drain, and I didn’t like that. That was a little uncomfortable. I wasn’t happy about having to stay overnight.

My husband would probably tell you I was argumentative because of that. Once I calmed down about that, I was okay. 

They were giving me Tylenol intravenously, and that worked really well. They told me I was going home the next day. I just kept that in my head, and that’s what helped me make it through. 

When I got home, everybody took a turn to come and stay and help me. I couldn’t lift anything because of the lymph node removal. My best friend came and stayed for a day. My grandma, my aunt, and my husband took a day off, and everyone was just so wonderful.

It really did take a village to get me through all this. I’m so lucky to have my village. I can’t imagine going through what I did without my family. 

You had more treatment after surgery

After surgery, I went once a week for 9 months to get Herceptin. It’s really nothing compared to the other chemo I was doing. At that point, I was feeling so fine that it was mostly just an inconvenience. 

Describe the radiation therapy

I also had 30 rounds of radiation. It was horrible. It’s not because it’s painful. I did get a burn, but that’s not why it was horrible. You don’t feel it while you’re getting treatment.

It was just an inconvenience because you have to go every single weekday. If they’re backed up, it just takes forever. The treatment itself isn’t long, but the wait times could be terrible. 

»MORE: Read other patient experiences with radiation therapy

Reflections

Can you talk about hair loss?

By the grace of God, I didn’t lose my hair until the day after my son’s baptism. I was so glad I had hair for that.

My mom and other people would say, “It’s just hair,” but it’s never just hair. The hair loss was heartbreaking. 

I shaved my head. I wasn’t about to let it just fall out. My scalp actually hurt, too. It was my hair follicles dying. It felt better to shave it.

»MORE: Patients describe dealing with hair loss during cancer treatment

I wore wigs for a little while. I stopped pretty early on, though, because they’re annoying and itchy. I don’t care how nice it is; it’s still a wig. I was more comfortable not wearing anything than wearing a wig. 

My kids were so used to me being bald, so it was fine for me. Their friends came over one day, and they were horrified by my bald head. I had to apologize profusely, and of course, I was crying.

I hated that my kids’ norm was mommy not having any hair. That shouldn’t be normal for any child. 

Did you work through treatment?

I went back to work in December in between getting AC and Taxol. My job let me take off one day a week for treatment when I started Taxol.

I’m a teacher, and at that point, I was teaching special ed pre-school, so that wasn’t easy. I was grateful my job was accommodating. 

I enjoy routine, so going to work was a break from reality. It was 6 hours a day I could not think about cancer and just do my job. In a way, I think that helped get me through it. 

»MORE: Working during cancer treatment

»MORE: Parents describe how they handled cancer with their kids

Transitioning into survivorship

I’m so hypersensitive to my body now. Any little thing can alert me. I live with a little bit of fear. I remember in the beginning thinking, “I don’t want to go through that again.” I really don’t, but I did it once. I know I could do it again if I had to. 

Now, I’ve settled down. There are days where I forget I had cancer, and there are days when it feels like it was yesterday.

Every day is different for me. I can go days without thinking about it. I feel compelled to share my story where I can. 

If my cancer is the worst thing I go through in my life, I’m very blessed. I know there are people who have had it way worse than I did with cancer and otherwise.

I just tell myself what I’m grateful for all the time. I have my family, and there’s people out there who don’t have that. I just try to count my blessings. 

What advice do you have for someone who has just been diagnosed?

Stay positive even on your worst days. Try to find something to be grateful for, even if it’s the littlest thing. Don’t be afraid to lean on other people for help. Somebody set a meal train up for us, and that was amazing. 

Don’t feel embarrassed about accepting the help someone is offering you. Take the help. Don’t be afraid to ask for it either.

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