Because Research Matters - Taxol #5

I'm not going to lie... I've had a rough two weeks.  After my last post, I was hit hard with the cold that I was trying to fight.  I fought a low-grade fever for two days and used more tissues in the past two weeks than I think I've used in the past several years.  My energy was completely gone.  It was a reminder that Stage 4 cancer is serious business.  After a week of trying to get better on my own, I went to the doctor and was given a z-pack.  Within two days I was starting to feel much better. I'm thankful that the cold seems to be behind me and am praying that I don't get hit any time soon with another round.

I had treatment #5 of Taxol Friday, October 4.  My oncologist was unavailable to see me, so I saw another oncologist.  She told me that my labs show a healthy 20-year old.  The only count that was a little bit off was my white blood cell count, but I have seen it lower.  It seems like my body recovered well from the cold.  

I am a little bit tired today, but overall I am not feeling like I just had chemo.  My sister and I went for a walk this morning, I cleaned the house, and this afternoon I did some pilates/yoga.  

If you are on Facebook and not following my journey, please start following.  I am spending the month of October (breast cancer awareness month) sharing facts about Inflammatory Breast Cancer.  

Here is a link to my page:
Rosanna McFarland's Journey

If you are not on Facebook, here are the facts that I have shared this week:
Day 1: Inflammatory breast cancer is not taught in medical school.  Many text books about breast cancer only have a few paragraphs about IBC.  By following my journey, you likely know more than your doctor about IBC.  

Day 2: 30% of IBC patients are Stage 4 at diagnosis.  I am part of that 30%.  The earliest stage at diagnosis is Stage 3.  There is no early diagnosis possible.  This needs to change.

Day 3: What is Inflammatory breast cancer? An aggressive breast cancer that has outward physical signs.  Look for swelling, rash, shooting pain, or itching.  Due to the swelling and redness, it is commonly misdiagnosed as mastitis.  I only had swelling and redness.  No itching or shooting pain.  

Day 4: No molecular definition exists for IBC.  Doctors diagnose based on physical symptoms. This is why research is needed.  I was lucky that my primary care physician recognized IBC symptoms as soon as the biopsy results came back positive for breast cancer.  Treatment is very aggressive for IBC so it is essential to know what you are dealing with from the start.

Day 5: Anyone can get inflammatory breast cancer.  Age, race, and gender do not matter.  Anyone can receive this diagnosis.  

The facts are from The IBC Network Foundation.  If you are looking for a breast cancer charity to support, I highly recommend this one.  It is the only place I found hope when I was first diagnosed.  It is run by volunteers.  Its founder is a 12-year IBC survivor.  They focus on funding research for this rare form of cancer.  This research is what will save my life.  Research matters.





Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 5, 2019 at 2:36 PM

    GOD bless you for being such a courageous young woman and using your voice to reach out to others! At 66 years old, I only recently learned that not all breast cancers manifest with a tumor or lump. I just met a lady who had no idea she had breast cancer until it metastasized to her bones! Diagnosed at Stage 4 also. We continue to pray for you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
  2. VickiOctober 6, 2019 at 4:37 AM

    Thank you so much for sharing and informing us! You are a true inspiration and role model. Hugs and prayers for your continued healing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Judy UhlmanOctober 6, 2019 at 4:09 PM

    Thanks for faithfully updating us.

    ReplyDelete

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