lauratemkin's Journey:

Overwhelmed. Shocked. This couldn't be me.

I had 18 lymph nodes (all positive) removed. I also had a lumpectomy but THAT cancer was not the primary for the cancer in my lymph nodes. They never found that primary in my breast, and believe me, they tried!

You can and will live thru the treatment and all the treatment's side effects but it is/was no fun. I had Taxotere, Carboplatinum, and Herceptin. Also to combat the side effects: steroids, ativan, compozine, zofran, mouth rinse. Also Aremidex and Zoloft. Vitamin D and calcium. Never took any pills before!

Red and blisters but not bad compared to chemo.

I'm in a 5 year Metformin/Placibo Trial.

Anxiety, Nausea, Hair Loss (maybe this was the worst in a funny way), chemobrain, Weight Gain.

Nothing like going out in public and looking normal (not sick) without a wig (itchy and hot), or a hat that never fooled anyone anyway.

I'm one year from diagnosis and still mourn the life I thought I would have, especially that carefree, everything is wonderful feeling. I'm not sure I'll ever completely stop grieving about that.