Author: Abigail Johnston

I'm a daughter, a wife, a mother, and I've been living with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer since March, 2017. All of the words I publish are my own.

Breast Cancer Facts, 10/7

Treating cancer of any kind is both an art and a science. Yes, there are scientific principles and the doctors need to understand a great deal to be able to work within the protocols. Yet, at the end of the day, every person is different and the profile of each subtype often results in different … Continue reading Breast Cancer Facts, 10/7 →

Breast Cancer Facts, 10/6

Stage IV is terminal. There is no cure. While there are chronic features/symptoms, stage IV metastatic breast cancer is not chronic. I and the rest of the men and women living with Stage IV hop from treatment to treatment, desperately trying to stay ahead of the mutating cancer cells, praying to stay alive as long … Continue reading Breast Cancer Facts, 10/6 →

Breast Cancer Facts, 10/5

Statistics are hard to keep up with. The stats quoted in this slide are a combination of reviewing the SEER database, extrapolating what we know, and a good amount of anecdotal data. We do need to be counted more accurately so that stats and data can be more precise. The issue is, especially for hormone … Continue reading Breast Cancer Facts, 10/5 →

Breast Cancer Facts, 10/4

This is the question literally everyone wants an answer to -- why me? There is no good answer since the majority of breast cancer has no genetic component. There are certainly some things that everyone can do to stay healthy, but there are no guarantees. Some patterns can be helpful, but don't ignore symptoms that … Continue reading Breast Cancer Facts, 10/4 →

Breast Cancer Facts, 10/3

Early detection does not actually save lives. Mammograms aren't always accurate and anyone who thinks they are safe does not understand the whole picture. I, for instance, got my very first mammogram after I felt a lump at age 38. Part of my initial treatment was discovering that I was already Stage IV and had … Continue reading Breast Cancer Facts, 10/3 →

Breast Cancer Facts, 10/2

I have bone only Mets and I was initially diagnosed as stage 2 in March of 2017. We made treatment decisions based on that information, but in June of 2017, we discovered that I'd actually been Stage IV from the beginning and probably for quite a while before I felt the lump myself. My cancer … Continue reading Breast Cancer Facts, 10/2 →

Breast Cancer Facts, 10/1

I'm still astonished at how little people understand about cancer. Just last week, I had to explain yet again that stage IV is the terminal stage, that there is no coming back, there is no cure. Once breast cancer has left the breast and metastasized to another organ, then ones time on this earth has … Continue reading Breast Cancer Facts, 10/1 →

Funding a Cure

Those of you who read my blog know that I'm living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer. Before my diagnosis, even though my mom is a survivor of breast cancer, I was astonishingly ignorant about breast cancer and trials and drugs and so many things that now occupy my entire life. I look back and … Continue reading Funding a Cure →

Piqray, Metformim, Nausea and B12

I'm about halfway through my second cycle of Piqray. We added Metformin to help control the known side effect of hyperglycemia, or high sugar. Despite the fact that the hyperglycemia was under control, the nausea was not under control. I remember experiencing a constant low level nausea while pregnant with both of my little guys. … Continue reading Piqray, Metformim, Nausea and B12 →

Why I’m not participating in “awareness” this October

Since I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2017, I've participated in quite a few events. Sometimes those events were to raise money, some were just for those of us who have breast cancer. At first, I was not sure what was best and I accepted invitations to just about anything. There's also the … Continue reading Why I’m not participating in “awareness” this October →