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Tag Archives: tamoxifen

Guest Post: Pregnant with Breast Cancer

22 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by Young Wifey in Baby, Blogging, Life

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

breast cancer, cancer, chemo, chemotherapy, IBC, motherhood, Pregnancy, pregnant, stage III, tamoxifen

Today’s youth has adopted the “you only live once” mentality. Too often, I hear young women respond to the thought of breast cancer with “Oh well, I’ll just chop off my boobs and get implants.” That thought process scares and saddens me. I know it’s something that no one wishes to experience, but downplaying it is invalidating someone else’s journey. 

This guest post is from a compassionate woman. Amy Robinson is a wife, mother, daughter, and sister. She went through a very difficult and emotional ordeal and proved to herself and others that she’s stronger than ever believed. I hope everyone learns something from her experience.

XOXO,
Young Wifey

**************************************************************

Pregnant with Breast Cancer
by: Amy Robinson

I was officially diagnosed with Stage III IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer) on April 17, 2012. IBC is a rare and very aggressive cancer. At the time of my diagnose, I was 37 years old and 19 weeks pregnant. I went to my doctor thinking that I had a breast infection because my breast was red, swollen, sore, itchy, and looked like I had welts.  Turns out these are the classic symptoms for IBC.

The weeks leading up to my start date of treatment were very stressful. I was scared of the unknown. I kept asking my doctors if I was going to live and the response I would receive is, “we are going to do the best we can for you.” I needed reassurance that I was going to live and this type of reassurance cannot be guaranteed.

One week prior to my chemotherapy beginning, I asked God for a sign that I was going to make it through this journey. I was with my mom and sister at Cracker Barrel browsing around in the gift shop when I came upon this mug that said “Good things are going happen.” On the back, was a bible verse from Jeremiah 29:11, “He has great plans for you.” I thought this is my sign but put the mug back thinking this was just luck that I stumbled across the mug. I continued to browse around the gift shop when I received an email from my Aunt in Florida saying here is your verse for today and lo and behold, it was Jeremiah 29:11. I knew this was my sign from God that I was going to be okay to just put my trust and faith in him and he would see me through this terrible storm.

May 4, 2012, my treatment began. I went through 5 rounds of chemotherapy while pregnant and continued to work. They say you will lose your hair 14-21 day after your first round of chemo which I was dreading. I did not want to lose my hair (as I had a few events coming up), and I also did not want to be in delivery wearing an uncomfortable wig. Day 14 came and went, day 21 came and went. I did not lose my hair until I delivered Elijah. Another prayer answered. At 36 weeks, my doctors decided that I should be induced to deliver Elijah because my cancer was not shrinking anymore. I was not responding as well to the chemo and Elijah had reached a point that it was safe to deliver him so that I could get back into harder chemotherapy.

Three weeks after delivery, I was back into my second round of chemotherapy. I had 4 more rounds of chemotherapy.  This round was not as friendly to me as the first round, but I got through it. I was so happy when this round was over. On December 10, 2013, I had a double mastectomy, and they began my reconstruction process at the same time. On December 17, 2012, I received a call from my surgeon and said the four magic words, “You Are Cancer Free.” I had been waiting to hear that for 8 months. I went through 33 rounds of radiation and will be on tamoxifen for 10 years.

Elijah is about to turn 1 and is an amazing little boy. You would never know that he was on the roller coaster ride with me.

Amy & Elijah

Amy & Elijah

**************************************************************

Additional Information:
American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Index
BreastCancer.org
Mayo Clinic article on Breast Cancer

MedicineNet onhealth.com article on Breast Cancer
National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.
National Cancer Institute (at the National Institutes of Health) on Breast Cancer
WebMD Breast Cancer Health Center
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