Help Ciarra Kick Cancer Back to Heck

Hi Everyone! 

2020, am I right? 

On July 13th, 2020, at the age of 30, and in the middle of a global pandemic, I was diagnosed with Invasive Breast Cancer. Not ideal. 

At the beginning of all of this, I discovered that I was mysteriously dropped from my health insurance at work, and I have not been able to remedy that yet.

I do have a private HMO now, however...as we are so familiar with here in the US, my premium is VERY expensive, while also being extremely restrictive. 

The cancer I have is very aggressive (Grade 3), and rare (single-hormone receptor positive cancers make up 12.6% of all breast cancers ) - at the time of my mastectomy on 8/19, it had grown 1cm since diagnosis. There is now known lymph node involvement, but as of now, we still do not know how extensive it is. 

We do not know the start date of chemotherapy, but it will come in about a month. 

These treatments are EXPENSIVE. 

My employment status is finicky at best right now. Hospital visits, appointments, cancer drugs, surgeries, and my insurance premiums, PLUS living in Los Angeles, with its high cost of rent, and the time Jarrod has to take off work to help me is going to take its toll very soon. 

I will update as we know more, and when I have a better idea of what my treatment plan will be, but I wanted to get this out there. 

Thank you all so kindly. 

SO FAR:

- 7/13/2020: Diagnosis - Invasive Ductal Carcinoma - Left Breast 

 Estrogen Receptor Positive (ER+), Progesterone Receptor Negative (PR-), and HER2-Negative.

Grade 3 (Most aggressive).

2.8 cm at time of Mastectomy. 

- 8/19/2020: Surgery - Unilateral Radical Modified Mastectomy, with Lymph Node Clearance on Left Side 

 Hospital Stay (Overnight) 

8/27/2020:Cancer upgraded to Stage 2b and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

9/1/2020New oncologist! Starting 8 rounds of dose-dense chemotherapy: AC-T in 4-6 weeks.