I am the face of Metastatic BC
Donation protected
In 2012 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The official Diagnosis: Left Breast - Infiltrating Poorly Differentiated Duct Cell Carcinoma Stage IIIc, ER+/PR-, HER2 Histologic Grade 3/3, Nuclear Grade 3/3, Mitotic Grade 2/3 Yeah I know that is a mouthful!
I had chosen to have a full mastectomy and hysterectomy. That was done in February 2013. The reason why I chose that was because I had tested positive for the BRACA gene. I was BRACA 2 positive
By doing all this it gave me better survival rates. I am still counting on beating cancer this time too! Before that I had 8 rounds of chemotherapy from October through February and 33 roundsof radiation. During my 1st cancer diagnosis I was able to work through my treatments. I only took off for my surgeries and only took what was paid at 100% on my short term disability.
I went back to work in late September 2014 and was only at work for five days before the skies opened up on me. It was freaky how the cancer was found this time. My legs and feet got really swollen. It became painful on Sunday the 28th. On Saturday night I texted my physical therapist and asked if I could come in so she can look at them. I am very lucky that I have doctors and therapists that are very good to me. She called my breast surgeon, Dr. Greenup since I had just seen her and she told me to come straight to the ER so I did. My blood pressure was very high.
It turned out that I had somethin called Retroperitoneal Fibrosis
After stents were put in the leg swelling started to go down. I also had to have two nephrostomy tubes
put in to help my kidneys drain. These will eventually be taken out once my kidneys start to function.
With all the scans I had they found cancer in my lymph nodes in my abdomen. This time it is Stage IV Triple Negative cancer and is being treated by twelve rounds of Chemotherapy with a drug called
Carboplatin
After that we will do some more scans and see what is going on with the cancer and where it is.
I am am back to doing chemotherapy once a month a for now. I will have scans in late October or November to see where my cancer is.
This time I realized thatI would not be able to work during my chemotherapy treatments. So far I had been on short term disability and just recently that was down to 66% of my pay.
I am now on long term disability and have half my pay coming in. In April Social Security will start. I am upset about not being able to work anymore but will hopefully return one day.
The money raised on here will go to my medical expenses and towards household bills.
I read every single comment on my Facebook, and myCaring Bridge Site
. I Love all the support, prayers and well wishes. I cannot express how much your love and support has helped me through this.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Alexis
I had chosen to have a full mastectomy and hysterectomy. That was done in February 2013. The reason why I chose that was because I had tested positive for the BRACA gene. I was BRACA 2 positive
By doing all this it gave me better survival rates. I am still counting on beating cancer this time too! Before that I had 8 rounds of chemotherapy from October through February and 33 roundsof radiation. During my 1st cancer diagnosis I was able to work through my treatments. I only took off for my surgeries and only took what was paid at 100% on my short term disability.
I went back to work in late September 2014 and was only at work for five days before the skies opened up on me. It was freaky how the cancer was found this time. My legs and feet got really swollen. It became painful on Sunday the 28th. On Saturday night I texted my physical therapist and asked if I could come in so she can look at them. I am very lucky that I have doctors and therapists that are very good to me. She called my breast surgeon, Dr. Greenup since I had just seen her and she told me to come straight to the ER so I did. My blood pressure was very high.
It turned out that I had somethin called Retroperitoneal Fibrosis
After stents were put in the leg swelling started to go down. I also had to have two nephrostomy tubes
put in to help my kidneys drain. These will eventually be taken out once my kidneys start to function.
With all the scans I had they found cancer in my lymph nodes in my abdomen. This time it is Stage IV Triple Negative cancer and is being treated by twelve rounds of Chemotherapy with a drug called
Carboplatin
After that we will do some more scans and see what is going on with the cancer and where it is.
I am am back to doing chemotherapy once a month a for now. I will have scans in late October or November to see where my cancer is.
This time I realized thatI would not be able to work during my chemotherapy treatments. So far I had been on short term disability and just recently that was down to 66% of my pay.
I am now on long term disability and have half my pay coming in. In April Social Security will start. I am upset about not being able to work anymore but will hopefully return one day.
The money raised on here will go to my medical expenses and towards household bills.
I read every single comment on my Facebook, and myCaring Bridge Site
. I Love all the support, prayers and well wishes. I cannot express how much your love and support has helped me through this.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Alexis
Organizer
Alexis Smyth-Roth
Organizer
Cary, NC