What happened, in summary

Megan-Claire Chase was 39 when she was diagnosed with Stage IIA invasive lobular breast cancer. Years before diagnosis, she had a strong family history of cancer and was already watching her body closely. A preventive mammogram at 35 was read as clear, but she was not taught what dense breasts meant. Over about 2.5 years, she noticed rapid weight gain, brittle hair falling out mostly on the left side, and small green bruises. Bloodwork stayed normal, and she was repeatedly told to lose weight, eat better, or rest more. On August 31, 2015, she suddenly felt a hard, large mass on the side of her left breast while showering. A biopsy on September 11 confirmed invasive lobular breast cancer. Treatment was intensive: 4 rounds of Adriamycin/Red Devil plus Cytoxan, followed by 12 rounds of Taxol. During Taxol, she developed severe neuropathy that made walking difficult and left lasting nerve damage. She then chose breast-conserving surgery instead of a double mastectomy. Surgeons removed a whole quadrant of the breast, reconstructed the left breast, and reduced the right breast. Recovery was complicated by infection and major fluid buildup requiring aspiration. She then completed 33 radiation rounds, including 3 boosters. As of July 2023, Megan-Claire had finished active treatment and was using her experience to advocate for patients whose symptoms do not fit textbook patterns.