Breast Cancer

We found out that Heather had inflammatory breast cancer yesterday morning.  Heather first noticed pain and swelling in her right breast last month, but being pregnant, we thought that it may have been a swollen milk duct or perhaps an infection.  Heather told her OB doctor, Dr. Lawerson of the pain and he suggested that it may have been mastitis, a type of breast infection.  An ultrasound revealed that she had a large mass and several smaller masses in her breast and armpit.  He referred her to surgeon Dr. Montano, who suspected that it may have been a staph infection, and Heather was started on a regimen of antibiotics.  Long story short, Heather became ill from the antibiotics and was admitted to the hospital last Thursday.  While she was in the hospital they continued medication with a different antibiotic and took a biopsy from her breast and armpit.  Heather was discharged last Sunday after improving and we awaited the test results on Monday. 

Her OB, Dr. Lawerson, called yesterday morning and left a message on Heather's cell phone.  "Heather, call be back right away about your test results, you can reach me on my cell."  "That's not good" said Heather, and I, the eternal optimist, replied "well, it could be good."  My heart sank when I saw Heathers eyes well up with tears.  "It is?" she said.  "Ok, then lets do it".  Dr. Lawerson told her that she had an aggresive form of inflammatory breast cancer and that she needed to schedule an appointment with the J. Michael Carroll Cancer Treatment Center immediately.  She got an appointment that same day. 

At the CTC we met with Dr. Jacqueline Cox, who gave us the prognosis: Heathers cancer was Her2 cancer, which meant that it was "fed" by hormones such as estrogen, and, being, several months pregnant, her body had been producing increased amounts of estrogen.  Dr. Cox gave us the plan: chemotherapy once a week for four weeks, every other week, then a full masectomy on her right breast in March.  Deliver the baby in June, then a year of more chemo and radiation.  Heather can't have the surgery right now because immediate action is needed to keep the cancer cells from spreading into the rest of her body.  Luckily the initial chemo treatment does not cross the placenta and will not hurt the baby. 

We are both scared and hoping for the best.  Our lives have just changed, but we have each other and loving friends and family, plus a God that cares for us.