How all this got started

Most people that find out I have breast cancer ask, "So did you find a lump?" because for 99% of breast cancers that is how it works. Inflammatory is in its own special class (anyone surprised that this would be the one I would get? haha). It doesn't show any signs or symptoms until it is late-Stage 3 or 4 (there is no Stage 5). It is misdiagnosed 9 out of 10 times. Because of how aggressively the cancer grows and because of the delay in diagnosis, it has the worst prognosis of all breast cancers. All other BCs have an average 5-yr survival rate of 90%+. This has only a fraction of that if it is still stage 3B or 3C. If I am stage 4 I will have technically an "incurable" disease.

Three weeks ago I noticed one breast increasing in size and getting "fuller". I brought this up during my normal OB exam. I showed no symptoms on the skin. The OB told me that it was part of being pregnant and that it was very normal for one side to grow more quickly than the other. A week later my breast was more tender and something didn't seem right so I went in the OB office again to see if maybe it was a breast infection (mastitis is the most common misdiagnosis). Again, I was told that it probably was just pregnancy related and it should improve over time. It didn't seem like mastitis because I didn't have any chills or fever.

On Friday of that week I finally had a chance to catch my breath and that night I started searching the internet for something that would fit my symptoms. The breast had gotten larger during the week and the skin had begun to change with a very slight peau d'orange. In my searching I found IBC right away. Nothing else would fit the breast growing overnight + skin changes. That night I called my OB in tears saying I think I have IBC, the most aggressive and lethal form of BC, the "silent killer". She calmed me down assuring me that it is so rare and I'm way to young for that to even be a statistical possibility. She was sure that it was something pregnancy related but would order a sonogram on Monday to make me feel better. I spoke with 5 or 6 other medical friends and everyone had the same unanimous response - there is no way that could be, you are crazy.

All weekend I worried about this possibility because I read how terrible the prognosis is. I kept praying that everyone was right - I am crazy. On Monday morning I started calling offices as soon as they opened. By 10AM I had a radiologist telling me it appears to be IBC. I had a biopsy immediately and results back Tuesday afternoon confirming the diagnosis. I was devastated.