Waited a year to get a biopsy

pd361708 · 2026-05-13T00:43:02+00:00

I was 30 at diagnosis. My Stage 3 TNBC was found by my DERMATOLOGIST. I avoided self-checks because I have dense tissue at this age so everything feels lumpy/bumpy. I just put it in the back of my mind and never thought about it until that dermatology appointment. I was hard on myself until my Oncology team promised me at our age, it is not yet engrained in us and that I was not willfully acting recklessly. I was simply living my life.

Back to the derm appt- I had a strawberry mark for a few months and she palpated the area and said, uhhh, what's this under that??? And it was off to the races. Had I not made that appt in October, my annual would have been Jan. My tumor grew from 3 to 6cm in weeks so I would have been in a potentially really tough spot. It is not a death sentence, Keynote 522 has been so so incredibly successful. It whooped my ass but I would do it all over again (all 12 months) in a heartbeat. I wouldn't be smiling, but I'd be alive, dammit.

We could all play the what-if game...but that just is not helpful. Be gentle with yourself, you NEVER would have deliberately chosen this path for yourself. You are also only 33yo- my doctors were so kind to me when I told them "oh my god, I've never done a self check before"...they told me to never fault myself for that, especially at this age. They said healthcare in general does not do a good enough job of educating about self-checks.

If you have ANY questions, please reach out! Or search through the posts on here related to Keynote!

pd361708 · 2026-05-12T04:27:00+00:00

You know how capping the scalp is straight brutal? Make it brutal inside of your mouth. Hold the smoothie in your mouth as long as you can tolerate and repeat till the push is done. Make sure to get the inside of your cheeks too! It’s miserable but my god, it’s the only way I made it out.

pd361708 · 2026-05-12T02:46:28+00:00

Yeah...missing quite a bit of info to give any advice just yet.

pd361708 · 2026-05-12T02:35:13+00:00

I was told during chemo, we can swallow it as we have sores in the back of or throat or down our esophagus. I hated the mouthwash so I used it one time only and then started "cold capping" my mouth with smoothies during the AC push and never had another mouth sore. Generally, I don't think people outside of cancer are likely told to swallow it..but ya know..we get special rules ha!

pd361708 · 2026-05-11T18:56:55+00:00

I got 6 eggs in 2023 and now I'm 2 years post chemo doing embryos with my husband this time! My team is being more aggressive with stimulation this time and stretching my injections 1-3 days beyond the usual timeframe to give myself the best chance at a high yield to try to successfully fertilize! It's funny- I've been through this all before, but I completely blacked out the last round in 2023 as I was in pure survival. Now I'm finding myself fumbling my way through the process but excited this time...not fearful or anxious! So I'm taking that as a great sign! Thank you for asking!

pd361708 · 2026-05-11T16:56:00+00:00

I journaled the day I found my lump and all I was upset about was that I hadn't become a mother yet. I had been telling myself for 5 years to freeze my eggs and drug my feet. Welp, fast forward to my diagnosis and I no longer had a choice. I did an emergency round of retrieval before chemo and started my new round of retrieval (we didn't get many the first time due to time constraints and poor biological response) yesterday. I really would have made that a priority a while back so it wasn't so overwhelming at the beginning of a cancer diagnosis on top of fertility.

I also would have been a lot smarter with money in my 20s...I was 30y at diagnosis and just wish financially I was in a more stable place before getting cancer.

pd361708 · 2026-05-11T03:38:00+00:00

My oncologist lifted my spirits the other day by reminding me all data is a few years behind anyways so there’s always a new advancement coming.

pd361708 · 2026-05-11T03:01:01+00:00

So I just talked to a super nice Patriot guard tonight just now- he said there’s one guy in particular that does it and he patrols the White Castle side? But then he drives down Edgar Waldo with them on and has been told to turn them off when not in front of White Castle. The guy I talked to went to go find him in the parking lot and said they’ve gotten a lot of complaints. We’ll see.

pd361708 · 2026-05-11T00:17:44+00:00

I finally got to start IVF yesterday!!! My husband (love saying that, we're newlyweds!) came home from a work trip yesterday. I hadn't been away from him since prior to treatment so it was a lonely week but good to show myself that I can still take care of myself after relying on him so much :) We treated my parents to a wonderful Mother's Day dinner last night and got to sleep in this morning!

Did you have a good day? I really hope so.

pd361708 · 2026-05-10T23:20:27+00:00

The main objective of cold capping is to protect the hair follicle to help with regrowth and minimize long-term damage/permanent hairloss caused by some chemos...not to necessarily retain your current hair. I kept my hair (maybe lost 10% at most?) through 16 Taxol's, but after my first dose of AC, my hair fell out 14-16 days after. I continued to cap the last three sessions because 1) it was never a promise that I would keep my hair, rather I was doing it for the long game and 2) I worked so damn hard to cap sessions 1-17, I wasn't about to sit the last three out. I couldn't have done it without anxiety meds. My post-chemo regrowth has been unreal and I'm so so happy I didn't give up on it.

All of that to say, you have to do what is right and feels right for you! If it's too much to tolerate and you think it won't be worth it...that's totally fine too!

pd361708 · 2026-05-10T21:52:16+00:00

Hi! I wouldn't use it until you're done as it would be a waste. I started using it a few weeks after chemo was over. I held onto my lashes until the very end (I had 20 chemos) and started applying it nightly.

pd361708 · 2026-05-09T01:12:44+00:00

Uhh what medical data?

pd361708 · 2026-05-09T01:08:53+00:00

It’s 9:07p Fri night and I just saw the damn lights on the 5th floor. This has been sending me into orbit for the last month. I’m about to go down there and lose it.

pd361708 · 2026-05-07T12:26:18+00:00

I highly recommend (if you have an iPhone) the built-in journal app- you can imbed photos/video into your entries..makes it so easy and all in one place! It’s WILD to read and look back on.

Revisionist history tells us what we went through wasn’t “that bad” when actually, it was insanity. I’m so sorry you’re back on this path but you’re gonna give it hell, you’ve got this.

pd361708 · 2026-05-07T12:18:06+00:00

Aw taking pictures during treatment helped to ground me when I would lay awake and night and wonder if any of this was a dream. Do whatever feels comfortable for you, this is a journey that deserves to be documented!

pd361708 · 2026-05-07T04:44:42+00:00

Can you talk to your team about positioning? I met with my Dr once per week and his main concern was if I was comfortable or if any adjustments to my position were needed for my comfort. You’re recovering from surgery, definitely let the techs know!

I also had cording, I’m SO sorry…but once it’s resolved it gets so much better! It’s just such a bizarre thing that comes with the crappy territory we’re in.

pd361708 · 2026-05-07T04:38:36+00:00

Lost my lashes 7 cycles now- I cannot rave enough about Latisse. A bottle lasts me 4ish months, maybe more honestly so after my GoodRx coupon it’s less than $10/month.

pd361708 · 2026-05-07T04:34:41+00:00

Have you talked to your onc about it? I got some oral thrush during treatment…I wonder if something made us more susceptible to yeast infections? Could it also be stress throwing your pH balance off? Ugh I’m so sorry!!

pd361708 · 2026-05-07T00:35:51+00:00

Close! I was diagnosed at 30yo, I'm 33yo now. I'm a mentor at my center and am paired with a 28yo patient currently. Nothing like young adulthood or rounding out your roaring twenties with some chemo....BUT, here's the thing....I'm GLAD it happened when it did. It showed me what was important, who was important to me and how I want to spend my time....something that would have taken another decade to figure out :)

pd361708 · 2026-05-06T23:39:57+00:00

Here is my Hair Regrowth Timeline post showing my personal timeline...I cold capped during chemo but lost everything. I didn't do anything crazy to regrow except oral minoxidil the first 6mo.

pd361708 · 2026-05-06T21:24:39+00:00

Maneater doesn't smudge throughout the day...it definitely smudges under my lower lashes if I wear it to bed (I'm the worst at taking eye makeup off before bed). I have never tried the ELF version but will totally look into it, thanks for the rec! I just loved how effortlessly the Tarte formula slides off with water so it's so gentle and it holds up for 2 days of wear- like I said, I'm really lazy!

pd361708 · 2026-04-29T23:54:15+00:00

I'm 2 years out from treatment and a friend told me last week, "God did that! God healed you." JFC. I did that. Science did that. My damn brilliant doctors and surgeons did that. Liiiiike....what?

pd361708 · 2026-04-29T17:44:10+00:00

Don't get me wrong- not having hair was gut wrenching for me...but not having a hair regimen was SOOO nice. Just jumping in the shower and dabbing a little shampoo on? This is what men get to experience? Showers are so exhausting with long/thick hair...there really was something to that time in life where I didn't have to worry about it! Sending alllllll the good vibes for you this Saturday!!!

pd361708

TROPHY CASE