“I am a realtor and in June 2014, I showed a client a 14 acre wooded parcel. When I got home, I showered and checked myself for ticks. When I raised my right breast, I felt a fluidy cyst. I had a mammogram in October 2013 and kept up with self-breast exams. I was not worried, but the next morning I called my nurse practitioner. She suggested that I come on in that day and let her check it. She also felt the cyst. She scheduled a mammogram and ultrasound for the next day. They both showed a dark fluid filled looking cyst. I breathed a sign of relief since these are usually benign. The doctor scheduled an aspiration and biopsy. I went for the biopsy and watched the fluid filled cyst actually disappear on the screen. That was good and I felt that everything would be ok.

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When I called the next day for the report, I found out that the pathologist had decided to do extra stains. When additional stains are needed on a specimen, the pathologist is usually trying to determine the type of cancer that the cells show. I had hoped that everything would be ok, but then, I received a call from the Breast Health Center with the news that I had carcinoma of the right breast. Surgery was scheduled for two weeks out.

Lobular carcinoma is found in only 5% of the women who have breast cancer. It cannot be detected on mammogram but can be seen on an ultrasound. I began gathering information on that type of cancer while going through many tests, including a Bilateral MRI of both breasts. The left breast appeared completely normal upon MRI. I was struggling with the decision to have a bilateral mastectomy.

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Surgery went well.  When we got the results, they weren’t so great. I had 12 positive lymph nodes on the right side. The left breast, which we thought was normal, had five areas of cancer less than 1 cm which was a shock to everyone including my doctors. Remember diagnostic studies showed the left breast was normal. The next week, I went into the hospital again to have lymph nodes removed from the left breast that was surprisingly positive for cancer. Thankfully the left lymph nodes were negative.

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On August 5, 2014, I started my first chemo treatment. After finishing chemo, I was scheduled for a follow up CT. The CT showed several areas of question on my thoracic spine. My oncologist immediately ordered a bone marrow biopsy which was positive for metastatic cancer. I went through more diagnostic studies and found out that I have metastatic breast cancer to bone. I have the mets in my right hip, sternum, thoracic and lumbar spine. The metastatic cancer was found very early. I immediately stopped chemo. I am currently on estrogen inhibiting drugs which are working well. I have tumor markers (lab work) every month that shows if the metastases are advancing. My tumor markers are very low now and I am so excited to be doing this well.

Although, I wanted the breast cancer to be done and over and forgotten, this is not how my journey was meant to be. I live every day to the fullest and live one day at a time. I have aide effects from the meds but I try very hard to push through these and make the most of living. I want to bring awareness to women living with metastatic breast cancer. I have learned a lot through a group that I have joined, Metastatic Breast Network. Sometimes, being a survivor means living with cancer and surviving each day while moving forward with faith and hope for the next one.”  

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- Lori Shaver Love