I was getting undressed one night and my hand brushed my right breast as I removed my bra. I felt a bump, so I investigated further. I yelled for my fiancé to come and feel it. He was freaked out just like me.

I went to the doctor two days later, scheduled a diagnostic mammogram, and two weeks later had that mammogram and a biopsy done.

The next day, a Friday, I was sitting in car line, logged in to MyChart, and got the diagnosis that I did indeed have cancer. I tried to call my doctors, but since it was Friday, everyone closed early. I sat with this news all the way until Tuesday. Never a call from a medical professional.

Tuesday morning, I was out with a friend and logged in to MyChart just to see if there was any more news. There was. I was TRIPLE POSITIVE. About 10 minutes later, I received a phone call from my doctor and told him I already knew.

Since then, it has just been a whirlwind. Doctors, treatment plans, but it seems every test holds more bad news. I have kind of fallen numb to it, just waiting for the next ball to drop.

There were high hopes during the double mastectomy that there would be no cancer in the lymph nodes. But three out of the four lymph nodes were “hot,” meaning they lit up blue with the nuclear medicine injection I was given. I don’t know exactly what this means, but I do know that the oncologist had mentioned we would have to add radiation if there were positive cancer cells in the lymph nodes. I will see the surgeon on 9/18 to have drains and hopefully staples removed, schedule the port surgery, and then meet with oncology again on 10/9. The plan is to start chemo on 10/13.

I am fundraising to cover the medical expenses and treatments for my cancer diagnosis. I am trying to raise money for a shed, for prosthetic breasts and mastectomy tops for me. Not covered by my insurance because I do not want reconstruction or implants.