What happened, in summary

Stefanie first noticed a breast lump when she was 5 months pregnant and assumed it was a clogged milk duct. The night she delivered her second child by scheduled C-section, a postpartum nurse raised concern about the lump. An ultrasound was inconclusive, so a biopsy was performed the next day. Two days after giving birth, Stefanie was told she had stage 3 triple-positive breast cancer.

Her planned treatment began with 4 rounds of AC every other week, followed by 12 weekly treatments with Taxol and Herceptin. AC caused bone pain, nausea and severe fatigue. Taxol and Herceptin were easier, but a drop in her heart’s ejection fraction forced a temporary pause and care from a heart specialist. Because chemotherapy had to stop for a time, surgery was moved earlier.

Stefanie underwent a lumpectomy with lymph-node removal on January 27. A second lumpectomy followed 1 week later because the first operation did not achieve clear margins. After surgery, she received Herceptin weekly for 9 months and completed 30 radiation treatments.

Treatment unfolded while she cared for a newborn and a 6-year-old. Hair loss, being unable to lift her baby after surgery and returning to work as a special-education preschool teacher were especially difficult. In survivorship, Stefanie remained alert to every body change, but she also described days when cancer no longer dominated her thoughts.