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| Patty Spiro's Fundraising Page |
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| I am a cancer soldier since March 2009 to current. I was given the diagnosis of IDC, triple negative and BRCA positive and had a double mastectomy and reconstruction in April 2009. Afterwards, I had many post-op complications that required five readmits to the hospital. Upon the 5th admission, it was determined that I had acquired a rare third word bacterial infection during the initial surgery. This meant that I had to have the reconstruction removed immediately and I was no longer eligible for chemotherapy. I also had to have a PICC line placed for long term ABX and during the PICC line placement the heart muscle was tickled and my heart hated it and decided to go into SVT-TWICE! The medication I was given had horrific side affects which has left me with a constant ringing in my ears and permanent hearing loss, it caused my pectoral muscle to tare and the worse side effect was the anxiety! I didn't even believe anxiety was a real! I was told that because my sentinel nodes and margins were clear that there was less than a 5% chance that the cancer would come back and I should look at my situation as a "divine intervention" and to "just live my life." I did that! But in November 2009,the Saturday after Thanksgiving I felt an aching sensation under my right armpit, after palpating it, I felt a golf ball size lump. After a PET scan and Biopsy it was that other "C" word again. Same thing, only the PET scan picked up more, I had an SUV uptake in my uterus, spine and left anterior chest wall. My husband and I went to many places they all said the same thing, "DOSE-DENSE" Chemotherapy. After our last visit to a renown cancer treatment center and hearing the same thing. My husband asked "what was the success with that treatment and my TYPE of cancer." We had never asked that question before! I will never forget what the Doc said, "20-30% success rate." SAY WHAT???? I quit blubbering as I made eye contact with my husband and I mustered up enough courage to ask about that bacterial infection. And that very lovely Doc said, "well that is just a chance we will have to take." I could not get out of there fast enough. Every day, is a fabulous day to be alive, I have always loved the life that I was given. Albeit, not always perfect, I love it more now. I look at my family and friends different all in a good way! Cancer can make you or break you and I refuse to succumb to this disease! I ride my bike almost every day and I yell out "oh yeah" whenever there is a headwind. I am a RN that specializes in Forensics, a certified crime scene investigator and a former police officer. It would be an honor to be selected to participate in Project Athena.
Event: September R2R2R trek |
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