Parul

I was 31 years old and 38 weeks pregnant with my second child when I felt my own lump on June 4, 2014. I had learned two years earlier that I am BRCA1+, so my husband and I felt it was important to get the lump checked out rather than dismissing it as pregnancy-related. My water broke two days later, and with my daughter in the NICU and me still in a hospital gown from the c-section, I was taken in a wheelchair to a breast surgeon for an ultrasound and biopsy. On my newborn’s one week birthday, I was diagnosed with aggressive triple negative breast cancer. Each of us has our own war story, but that is what makes us warriors.

After a whirlwind of tests and consults, I began chemotherapy in mid-July. I am currently undergoing a 12-week course of Taxol and Carboplatin, with only two more treatments to go. I have waves of intense fatigue and hot flashes, but am overall living and enjoying my life with family and friends. When my hair began to fall out soon after starting chemo, I took control and had it all shaved off. As emotional as that experience was, it was also incredibly empowering, and I now proudly wear my bald head in both private and public. I am awaiting MRI results to determine whether additional chemo will be needed, else I will be pursuing a double mastectomy and reconstruction later this year.

I have enjoyed blogging my experience at http://cancerat31.wordpress.com to document my journey through the diagnosis and treatment of TNBC as a young, working mother of a toddler and newborn. While the blog is serving as a source of information for my loving husband, family, and friends who have already demonstrated tremendous love and support, I hope it also provides information, insight, and inspiration to others who face similar life challenges.