On Monday, June 27th, 2022, at 5:30 pm, my oncologist shared the results of the PET scan with me. The good news is that the cancer on the right side is gone. Here’s a recap of my initial diagnosis and treatment: I was diagnosed October 6, 2021, with metastatic breast cancer, stage 3, on the right side and 8 cancerous lymph nodes in the right axillary (armpit) area. I went against the standard protocol here in the US and I went to Chipsa Hospital in Mexico to receive Cryoablation (freezing of the tumor) and immunotherapy and low dose chemotherapy. I then received 6 and a half weeks of Proton Radiation at the Northwestern Proton Center in Warrenville, IL. So, let’s get back to the PET scan results: no cancer seen on the right side; the treatment for the right side worked!

Now, the not so good news….. on the PET scan, there were 4 lymph nodes that lit up under the left axillary (armpit) area. What does this mean? Well, it can be cancer or inflammation. My oncologist said it’s very rare for cancer to jump from the right axillary (armpit) region to the left axillary region; because that means it bypassed the left breast and it is in the lymphatic system. He said he may see it in 1 out of 100 women who have been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Because it is so rare, there is no agreement on treatment for this. Options would include: chemotherapy, radiation, surgery to remove the lymph nodes; however, the chances of it coming back to other lymph nodes after treatment is greater than 60 percent. It would be a constant battle of chasing the cancer in the lymphatic system.

I am praying for inflammation and not cancer. I have an MRI scheduled for Tuesday, July 5th. This will determine if it’s cancer versus inflammation. A biopsy may be needed for a definitive answer, depending on the MRI results.

At first, I was in shock with the news; and of course, saddened. That night, after hearing the news, my family and I still went out to dinner as planned, and we were all saddened. But, after pondering over the news; we all agreed that the great news is that the right side has no cancer; and that means the treatment worked! If there is cancer on the left side, I will just take the same approach I did for the right.

The battle against cancer is like being in a boxing match. I will get knocked down, but I have to continue to get back up, and I have to keep fighting! So I got this! I am a warrior! I will keep fighting! I continue to have faith in our Lord! God does perform miracles!

” Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Romans 8:35,37-39