I am always amazed to hear medical plans and how they differ from one person/set of circumstances to another.

My tumor was fairly large and had gone through the dermis. Two lymph nodes were palpable. My oncotype was done on my biopsy sample. Because of my lymph node involvement, radiation was a given. When I had my surgery, I had a complete lymph node dissection. The sentinel node was positive and nine of the other 19 removed were positive also. So 10 of the 20 were positive.

My surgeon, oncologist, and radiology oncologist never wavered in my need for radiation. They explained that the surgery removed the tumor and lymph nodes and radiation would kill any remaining traces in the tumor bed, other tissue, and incision sites. I had 38 regular and 5 boosts (incision site specific) treatments.

My KI-67 score was 67. I thought it was a trick of my eyes when I saw it. My tumor size, number of lymph nodes involved, plus my KI-67 score put me in the high reoccurrence area. The anastrozole with the addition of Verzenio were highly recommended by my oncologist.

I had surgery in May, radiation during June and July, and started Verzenio in August. It was a rough time, and Verzenio has been difficult. At the beginning, diarrhea was overwhelming, but that has become more manageable. I went into this with an open mind and said I would do whatever I needed in order to rid myself of cancer. My care team is outstanding, and I value their expertise. My oncologist is wonderful. She has been truthful about what is the best medical approach, but she also says that my “quality of life” is also important and will honor any decision I make.

My way of handling bumps in the road is to push myself to do more, to walk daily even though it may not be too far on some days, and make sure I do something worthwhile. The more I push, the more positive I feel. I have gone to PT to get range of motion and strength. I have bought special shampoo for hair loss and that has helped. I am eating a healthy diet and pushing myself daily. Lack of energy is still my main concern. However, I know that I am doing everything possible to get healthy.

It would be wonderful if there was a “one size fits all” plan, but everyone’s situation is so different. It all comes down to each person making the best decision for his/her life. I read so many people wanting advice on procedures and medicines. I have learned to value the advice of my care team, do my own research, and listen to the opinion of others. However, ultimately I need to make a decision that is best for me and my circumstances. Good luck to you and the decisions you make on your journey.