Sometimes, you just don't know where to start.

stephanieriordan23
Mar 18
3 min read

I honestly do not know where to start. This has been a hard week. On March 8th in the afternoon I started having a bad headache. Sunday morning I woke up around 4am with nausea and threw up which occurred again around 9am. I was praying it was just the flu but in the back of my mind knew this was not good. I went to urgent care hoping they would just swab me but “due to my history” I was sent to the ER. It was at the ER I had a CT and then MRI of my brain completed where they found 3 brain mets consistent with where my headache had been. I was admitted to the oncology floor Sunday evening for further testing Monday with a lumbar puncture. My current understanding is it is limited to the 3 small lesions in my brain. I have 1 in my right temporal lobe which is 7mm and 2 in my cerebellum which are 3mm and 5mm. I am thankful it was just a headache that brought my attention to these spots and not a seizure which I was told is common to occur with the temporal lobe per the neurosurgeon. I am currently on a steroid to help with the swelling in my brain to avoid the headache and nausea. I do not like how it makes me feel. I am also on Keppra as a preventative for seizures. I was discharged on March 11th and was able to get my scheduled chemotherapy for that day which is currently every 4 weeks.

It is not fun being a patient. My night nurse Sunday, told me to call not fall at the age of 36, big eye roll from me. She put all 3 bedrails up and pushed the night stand in the one opening place, I know your tricks. How is this my life. Thankfully the other nurses were good with me being independent the rest of my stay. I am thankful for Tom, my parents, Stephanie and Bryan all who were there at the hospital for me to love on and comfort me.

I met with the radiation oncologist on March 14th who believes doing whole brain radiation is the best treatment for me. The idea of whole brain radiation is very overwhelming to me. It would consist of radiation for 15 sessions, Monday-Friday at 5 minute increments each session. The plan then would be to do a repeat brain MRI 4-6 weeks after treatment to assess success of treatment. I am meeting with my medical oncologist today, March 18th, to discuss treatment as well. I have been feeling better overall and was very hopeful that my current chemotherapy treatment has been working. However, most chemo can not get through the blood brain barrier. The original plan was to do one more round of chemo in April then a PET scan to see if treatment is working in my bones and liver.

While in the hospital, we made an appointment for this Friday, March 21st with a physician at UTSW that specializes in metastatic breast cancer for a second opinion. I am also waiting to hear back from MD Anderson.

I am still having a hard time wrapping my head around this reality. The day before my headache started I went to a moms of preschoolers meeting in Melissa and felt totally normal. I was telling someone I was feeling good, able to start working out again and feeling more like myself. Then this happens, ugh life is not fair and this is the first time I am truly scared of this disease and my unknown future. I am so thankful for so many friends and family that love us so well. This is such a shitty situation but I have felt an overwhelming sense of love from everyone, so thank you.

Current Prayer Request