Scott's point of view

A Breast Cancer Survivor´s Story
 As I reflect back on the many journeys that I have been on throughout my life many come to mind. There is the journey of graduating from high school and later PA school from the Medical College of Georgia. There is the journey of serving in the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. There is the journey of marriage to my wife Katrina and the journey of being a father to my two children – Elijah, age five, and Eva, age three. Of all the journeys that I have been on, nothing could have prepared me for the toughest journey that I have ever been a part of.

In October of 2007 my wife Katrina was breastfeeding our baby girl Eva who was nearly a year old. Katrina felt a firm mass in her  right breast. We consulted with our gynecologist and it was recommended to discontinue breastfeeding and apply heat with the assumption that it was a clogged milk duct. After one week of this treatment the mass had not resolved itself. We then went for an ultrasound. Dr. Ronald Gay was straightforward when he stated that he did not like the size or the shape of the 2.5 centimeter solid mass. He then recommended that we follow up immediately with a breast surgeon. Two days later on a Friday, Katrina was seeing Dr. Brenda Simpson from Breast Care Specialists of Atlanta. On that first appointment Katrina had a mammogram, ultrasound and a biopsy. We were told that in two days we would be notified of the results of the biopsy. We left the appointment with much apprehension but did not really think that the result would return as breast cancer because there was no history of cancer in Katrina´s family.

The weekend was long and prayers were even longer. As Monday started I recall working in the yard when Katrina came to the door and said that the caller ID read Breast Care Specialists of Atlanta. This was the call that we had been waiting for. Little did we know that this phone call was about to set us on a journey that we never imagined we would be on. Katrina had one phone and I had another. We both sat on the sofa and heard Dr. Simpson´s voice say "Mrs. Dickerson, I wish I could tell you that it is not breast cancer but it is…in fact it is a very aggressive type and we need to see you in the office right away."

I could feel my heart sink and the tears roll down my face. I looked over to Katrina and the tears were streaming down her face. We hung up the phone and stood up and just held each other. After a few minutes we got ourselves back together and decided to go and tell her parents who live up the street from us. As we went into her parent´s house her parents could tell it was breast cancer simply by looking at us. I remember hearing the crying and seeing the tears from everyone. We all embraced one another what seemed like hours.

Later in the week a PET scan was scheduled along with our first appointment with our oncologist Dr. Daniel Carr of Georgia Cancer Specialists. Dr. Carr stated that the results revealed a Stage 2 Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma and 2 node positive. He seemed confident that with chemotherapy that remission could be obtained. His recommendation was for four rounds of Cytoxin and Adriamycin every two weeks followed by four rounds of Taxotere and Herceptin every three weeks for one year. One week later a port was placed in Katrina´s chest and chemotherapy began.

Chemotherapy brought about many side effects. The most common was all of Katrina´s hair falling out. Nausea and vomiting was very minimal thanks to a medication called Amend. Katrina´s fingernails and toenails did fall off. The greatest side effect of all was the extreme fatigue. As soon as the energy would be built back up from the last round of chemotherapy the next round wiped it out. This went on for six months.

During the time of chemotherapy we truly took one day at a time and valued each and every day that we had. Some days were much harder than others. It was difficult to watch the one that I love so much have to go through such difficulty just to live. Katrina was tough and to this day remains the toughest person that I know. She faced breast cancer, went though the treatments and did fantastic.

There was one time during her chemo that deserves mentioning. The reason it deserves mentioning is because it gives attention to which Katrina and I know it was the guiding force behind her success for her treatment. We were midway through her chemo and she was doing wonderfully. It was a cold time in January and Katrina had developed some cough and a significant amount of pain in the sternal region and ribs. Not much was thought of it at first but it went on for about a week. Dr. Carr ordered a chest X-ray, which was negative and later ordered a bone scan. The bone scan report came back and read numerous areas throughout the sternal region and ribs, which probably represent metastasis. When Dr. Carr told me this report I could not believe what I was hearing. We had been doing so well with all of the treatment. The tumor itself had shrunk so small you could not even feel it. Her lymph nodes were normal and all of sudden this report comes that says that now she had metastatic breast cancer to the bones. This was without a doubt the lowest time of our journey. It would drastically reduce Katrina´s survival rate. We are and have been a faithfully prayerful family. At this point of this diagnosis it almost broke our spirit. All we could do was accept what it was, turn it over to God and continue to take it a day at a time. Dr. Carr did not agree that this would be metastasis because the chemo was working so well to this point. He ordered a PET scan, which was performed a several days later. The report of the PET scan revealed that there was no metastasis and the only malignancy was the area to which was already diagnosed previously. Katrina and I both know that this was one of many times that God showed His incredible healing power.

Two options of treatment after chemotherapy were given. One of which was to have a lumpectomy and 32 rounds of radiation. The other treatment was to have a mastectomy. At first, the thought of having a mastectomy seemed like the worst option. It was an easy decision for Katrina when it was noted that recurrence rates of breast cancer in the opposite breast are as high as 25 percent with lumpectomy and radiation. Katrina would say over and over "I never want to have to go through chemotherapy again." Katrina opted for a double mastectomy and tram-flap revision. The surgery for the double mastectomy and tram-flap revision was an eight-hour procedure. Dr. Brenda Simpson performed the double mastectomy and Dr. Suzanne Bedford performed the tram-flap revision. That day of surgery was the longest day. As Katrina and I walked into the pre-op waiting area, Katrina said two things. She said that she has to remember that fear does not come frome God. The other lighthearted thing she said was that she had to keep telling herself that she is simply going in for a tummy tuck and boob job!

Recovery from the surgery was long. She came home from surgery with four drains in her abdomen. After four weeks of constant draining the final drain was removed. Katrina attended physical therapy at Turning Point in Alpharetta. The therapy really made huge difference in her mobility and pain relief. Katrina has done so incredibly well throughout her diagnosis with breast cancer.

The diagnosis of breast cancer is gut wrenching. It is only made better by all of the kind and dedicated professionals that commit their time to those suffering from this awful disease. Our paths crossed with such kind and generous people on our journey. There are all of those at Georgia Cancer Specialists, especially Dr. Daniel Carr and Dr. Jorge Spinolo. Special thanks needs to be given to Kennon H. McCollum NPC. of Georgia Cancer Specialists. We saw Kennon more than any other clinician during our treatments. He really made a huge difference with his compassion and caring. He represents nurse practitioners well. All of the staff at Breast Care Specialists of Atlanta are truly awesome. They understand the emotions a woman is having when there is the diagnosis of breast cancer or soon-to-be diagnosis of breast cancer. They get everything done in one day so the diagnosis can be made or not made. Dr. Suzanne Bedford and staff of "The Beauty of Knowledge" plastic surgery clinic was also invaluable. She took Katrina´s body from which had been scarred from breast cancer and gave her a new body which looks great and made Katrina feel whole again.                                                                                                                                                       Our journey with breast cancer has had many twists and turns. We are "Continuing the journey in His grip!"
Scott Dickerson