What happened, in summary

Shari found a breast lump in December 2015. A mammogram several months later led to a surgical lumpectomy because she had saline implants. The lump was breast cancer, and further staging showed that the triple-positive disease was already metastatic, making it stage 4. Her first brain MRI was clear.

Shari underwent a second operation for lymph-node evaluation and port placement, then received 4 cycles of Taxotere, carboplatin and Herceptin every 21 days. A CT scan after chemotherapy showed major improvement, so the intensive chemotherapy stopped and she continued Herceptin every 3 weeks. By the following March, scans showed no active systemic disease, although her oncologist explained that this did not mean the metastatic cancer was cured.

Months later, persistent pressure in one ear led to another evaluation. Brain imaging found metastases, which were treated with stereotactic radiation focused on the individual spots. Afterward, she began brain MRI surveillance every 3–4 months. She also received Lupron for ovarian suppression, but severe joint pain led her to pursue surgical removal of her ovaries.

Shari continued working and travelling while living with stage 4 cancer. She rejected the idea that looking well meant she was cured and used her experience to explain the realities of metastatic disease, scan anxiety and lifelong treatment.