Day 0: The Diagnosis and the Plan

On March 3, 2016, Catherine was officially diagnosed with stage 3b, grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma after a biopsy of a lump in her breast. The two weeks before and after were full of tests, scans, and meetings with the doctors at Maimonides Breast Center in Brooklyn where we learned that the cancer is fast growing and treatment needed to begin right away. Her fabulous surgon, Dr. Andaz put in a medi-port on Wednesday, March 16 to make the future injections and blood draws much easier (previous IV's were difficult!). As of today, the treatment plan calls for sixteen rounds of a drug called Taxol, once per week. On the first week and every three weeks thereafter, she'll receive a drug called Carboplatin immediately after getting her weekly Taxol. If the cancer responds well to the chemo, she's scheduled to have surgery as soon as possible at the end of the 16 weeks to remove the cancerous cells. How much surgery will be involved is a question that can't yet be answered. We've met with the Genetic Counselor and have sent off a sample of Catherine's DNA to be tested. The outcome of that test will answer whether she carries a genetic mutation (BRCA-1) that predisposes her to developing breast cancer, even if this bout of cancer is beaten completely. The Oncologist, Dr. Burdette-Radoux, has told us that depending on how the Taxol/Carboplatin treatment goes, Catherine may need an eight-week round of Adriamycin/Cytoxan (AC) before the surgery. It is also possible that she will have that AC chemo after her surgery, instead. After the chemo, and the surgery, and whatever additional chemo is necessary, she'll receive radiation therapy. We don't know much of the details about the radiation therapy yet and all of these plans are subject to change depending on how the cancer responds.

We have so appreciated all the love and support that we've felt from you all as we've processed this scary news. We're both feeling optimistic and she's more than ready to put up a fight. Feel free to share the news and send all your good vibes our way. Catherine's keeping up the superwoman routine and we all know that she won't let a little cancer get her down!