I went to my yearly check up in March 2000 at the age of 29. My ARNP gave me my breast exam and found nothing. Three months later I noticed a lump in my left breast.

I saw my OB/GYN, who sent me for a mammogram and discovered it was approximately a 5 cm. tumor. After a mastectomy and 4/14 nodes positive I went on AC/Taxotere with radiation. I am ER/PR positive and Her2Neu negative.

After treatment was over, I went on Tamoxifen for approximately a year and had a recurrence in my liver (2 mets). More chemo this time - Taxol for six months. One of my lesions disappeared; the other shrunk to less than 1 cm.

I did have fluid build up around my heart from the Taxol, which led to a pericardial window. My ONC/Surgeon agreed because of the one small lesion he would do RF ablasion. The RF was successful, and my liver has been clean for 2 years now. My enzymes are still a little high, but that is common with RF ablasion.

I later found out that I had a small lesion on my sacroilliac joint also. I have been on Femara now for 2 years with everything stable. When I was first diagnosed 5 years ago, I never thought I was going to make it this long. I lead a normal life with mets. I have no restrictions.

There are a lot of statistics out there, but everyone is different. I have three kids to raise, and cancer is not going to change that. I have to admit there are now weeks at a time I go without thinking about the fact that I have Stage 4 cancer. Then there are those times I think there is that chance I will be bald again and doing chemo, but I will be ready to fight it again.

I remember reading a post on this website that said if we spend all our time thinking how we have cancer and poor us, the cancer is winning. I won't let it win.

Michelle Burke

5-yr. survivor with mets