MEET LYNNE
My name is Lynne, and my story begins just over three years ago, at age 50, when I felt a painful lump in my left breast. After a mammogram and biopsy, I was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which is considered the earliest form of breast cancer and noninvasive. I was told the recommended treatment would be fairly simple: a lumpectomy followed by some radiation. “Phew!” I thought. “I dodged a bullet!”
Being a worry wart, I got a second opinion and am so glad I did! The second surgeon saw an “area of concern” and ordered a MRI and second biopsy. When the results came back, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). I was shocked, devastated, and angry.
As I shared the news with family, friends, and coworkers, my boss at the time, who was prostate cancer survivor, said, “Don’t ask yourself ‘Why me?’ or ‘What could I have done?’ Just focus on the plan to beat it.” I thought about his words a lot—not just when he said them, but many times during my seven months of treatment. They made me stronger: I was not going to wallow in self-pity, and I was ready to fight! My own determination, coupled with the positivity of those around me, caused me to never once consider that I wouldn’t beat cancer. Not even once.
After meeting with my oncology team, I started a dose-dense regimen of chemotherapy. Unfortunately, three weeks in, my body rebelled. That started weeks of recurring fevers, a 10-night stay in the hospital, and the removal of my port in case it was causing an infection. And then, just as quickly as they came on, the fevers went away, and I pressed on!
I underwent a successful lumpectomy that had clear margins and no lymph node involvement. Best news I’d heard! After that, I successfully finished my remaining chemotherapy treatments and radiation, which felt like a walk in the park compared to the first set.
While physical setbacks are common, the most surprising side effects of chemo were mental. I consider myself a strong individual who can take on a lot. I’ve always been a high performer, but chemo’s effect on my ability to think quickly and clearly and to remember even the simplest things was intense. Reading comprehension and word recall also took a serious hit. The running joke in my house was, “Mom can’t remember the words ‘cottage cheese’ again.”
Fortunately, my family and friends were supportive—providing meals, cards, gifts, words of encouragement, laughs, and support—and my employer was both understanding and accommodating. All of that, coupled with my incredible husband, who was up around the clock providing me Tylenol, getting me warm blankets, taking me on car rides or short walks to brighten my outlook, and just being there for me every step of the way, got me through this incredible battle. I was cancer-free!
Now, three years out, I only have a few side effects to remind me of my treatment. I’m feeling far more like myself than I did during those early days post-treatment. Most importantly, I’m thankful to have made it to the three-year mark, which is a milestone for anyone who’s experienced the aggressive nature of TNBC. Yay for me!
Lessons learned along the way:
A lot of people say if a lump hurts, it’s not cancer. In my case, that wasn’t true! No matter what kind of lump you have, have it checked out.
No matter how comfortable you feel with an initial diagnosis or a provider, seek out a second opinion and compare what they say—if for no other reason than just peace of mind.
Chemo brain is real! Give yourself a break if you can’t think or function like you used to and remember that even after treatment is over, it will take a while for everything to heal—including your mind.
It really does take a village. Be sure to ask for and allow others to help!
I live with two new mantras that are surprisingly simple: “Don’t sweat the small stuff” and “Enjoy the little things in life.” And I intend to for a long, long time!
