“All we need is Michelle with a plan!” -Derek

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The hardest thing about this journey has been not being in control of anything. I couldn’t control getting answers when I wanted, I couldn’t control the diagnosis or the outcome. The only thing I could control was getting appointments faster, driving to different hospitals if possible and getting on waitlists for surgeries.

Once all surgeries were complete and the genetics test results were back, we were just waiting on the specialist appointments. My Oncologist Nurse Navigator was amazing and schedule me with Radiology and Oncology the same day as my surgery follow up so I only had to drive in once.

The surgeon said the incision was healing great. We had about an hour to go get lunch then game back to Radiology Oncology where we finally got a plan. Five days of radiation and a few follow ups appointments. Going forward we are alternating a mammogram and MRI every 6 months. This was a relief to me. One of the biggest things in the back of my mind was waiting 12 months to make sure nothing else is growing. I’m much more comfortable with two 6 month checks.

After Radiology Oncology, we ran upstairs to Oncology and he pronounced me cancer free. Because my cancer was ER/PR positive, I started a hormone blocking drug to “starve” the cancer so any future cells do not have anything to help it grow. 

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