Metastatic Journey: My encounter with Stage 4 Breast Cancer

I have officially been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer since June 8 of this year.  So much for summer, right? Breast cancer is an entity all of it’s own.  There are so many subtypes plus the grade and stage for each individual person.  My cancer is estrogen positive. 91%.  I am slightly progesterone positive, and HER 2 negative.  That is partially how they determine which drugs to use for each person.  There is now another fairly new test that is basically a blood biopsy.  These microscopic tiny cancer cells just flow around in my body until they decide to settle somewhere and continue to grow.  Mine settled in many of my bones.  They have been wreaking havoc in my spine, femurs, hips, pelvis, and possibly my arms and lower legs, but they don’t scan those areas.  Why?  I have not a clue.  So, once your type and location and stage and grade are determined then your oncologist will decide on the best treatment plan for you.  I have an amazing team at Roger Maris. Dr. Mark Gitau and his tea

 The Adjustment period.  That is what we will call this stage of our journey with this bitch named Cancer. I was officially diagnosed sometime back in July after I came upon a doctor who actually listened to me and heard my complaints of horrible nighttime leg pain and knew something was going on. And actually, the one that figured it out wasn’t even an MD at a top notch facility.  It was Katie Banley, NP at Family Healthcare.  I first met Katie when taking one of my trafficking survivors for treatment at Family Healthcare.  I immediately liked her energy and confirmed she was a good choice with my friend Tara who is a nurse at Homeless Health and one of the people I most admire and love in this world. Through experience with my daughter’s battles with chronic pancreatitis, I have come to dislike many things about Sanford and avoid the big healthcare conglomerates whenever possible. Katie said right away, “I don’t like it Sonya, not with your history of breast cancer.  We are going to