Klara Hartfiel

Treatment: Mastectomy, chemotherapy and hysterectomy

In July 2007, I noticed a lump in my right breast. Only two weeks after finishing breast feeding for fourteen months. I went to my OB/GYN and brought it to his attention. Since I am young (28) and had just finished breastfeeding, we decided that it was best to wait a month to see if it went down. One month later, it had grown.

I met with the surgeon and we had scheduled an ultrasound and mammogram. A large area of calcifications was found and a biopsy was performed two weeks later (only because I was in a wedding in that time). The biopsy was on Thursday, October 11, 2007 and I received the phone call at 2:24 pm on the 15th.

With in hours I went to the hospital to speak with the Breast Health Navigator. I also meet with my Oncologist that Wednesday. My mastectomy with lymph node removal was performed on October 25. My tumor was 4.5 cm x 2.5 cm x 4 cm and two nodes were positive. Luckily, it was 96 percent estrogen, 44 percent progesterone positive and HER 2 negative. I started chemotherapy the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and ended on January 8 (after which I spent five days in the hospital and had a blood transfusion for extreme anemia).

As a nurse, I was unable to work for four months. I did however; continue my education to become an RN. I graduated May 17! The next treatment was a complete hysterectomy with ovary removal on the May 20. I meet with my Oncologist on June 24 to discuss my next treatments. I never thought I would have breast cancer, especially at such a young age, since there is no family history. I have a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old whom I breast fed both.

My story proves that it can happen to anyone!