Welcome to my Medium publication Barefaced Breast Cancer
Here you will find stories of my personal experiences during breast cancer treatment.
I also plan to share helpful information about navigating the journey, coping strategies, and news on the latest breast cancer treatments.
I hope others will join me and share their stories and information here also. Please contact me at daniellefcousin@gmail.com if you would like to be a writer.
It’s my goal that by openly sharing my experiences that this information will help others that also find themselves on this tough journey and alleviate some fears around cancer treatments. I know some of the worst fear after my own diagnosis was triggered by the unknown of what would lie ahead.
You might be wondering about the name — Barefaced Breast Cancer.
I use the term barefaced in its meaning as Boldly Open.
I plan to share my experiences with you here as honestly as possible. I want give you the facts as I have experienced them. I encourage others to also share from their point of view.
Everyone on this journey will have a different experience as no two diagnoses or treatment plans seem to be exactly the same.
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2022. I discovered it as I noticed changes in my body. My right nipple sank down and became inverted. I couldn’t feel any lumps at all and neither did the GP that examined me — but she sent me for an immediate mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsy.
It was discovered that I had a 7cm diameter ductal carcinoma in my right breast which had spread to my right-side lymph nodes, and a node in the middle of my chest under my breastbone.
In 2022 I did chemo treatment (the red devil and Paclitaxel), had a double mastectomy, and 25 radiation sessions. After my mastectomy operation in October 2022 my PET showed no active cancer.
Unfortunately, my follow-up PET scans in February 2023 showed a possible cancer lesion on the top of my pelvic bone, which was confirmed with an MRI. A biopsy showed it was triple-negative breast cancer.
Last Monday was the first day on my new treatment journey. I started on the TTAC06 clinical trial —which is combination of 2 new immunotherapy drugs (Olinvacimab and Pembrolizumab).
I hope you will come back to read more posts here and share this publication with your friends and family.
If you are looking for any specific information or have specific questions, please let me know by leaving a comment. I’ll do my best to answer.
