Hello all! My name is Kayla Schmader and I am a breast cancer survivor. I was diagnosed at age 28 in January 2018. I had my second child in September 2017 and three months later my husband told me he noticed a lump on one of my breasts. He realized I wasn’t complaining about having issues with nursing so he thought this needed my attention! I went back to the OB and where they told me “you are so young and have no history of cancer in the family, it’s probably nursing related”. Thankfully they sent me for an ultrasound. Which turned into getting a biopsy. And then the diagnosis came in! “You have breast cancer. Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Stage 2A. ER+ 15%, PR-, Her2 -, and BRCA 1&2 -“.
I made the decision to have a bi-lateral mastectomy with no reconstruction (I am still flat and have been slowly starting my way to the reconstruction part of my life). I just wanted the tumors off of me! I was told that after surgery I was looking at chemotherapy and reconstruction right away was not recommended. After the surgery, the pathology report came back as they expected and chemotherapy was highly recommended to assure everything was clear. My cancer was caught early on but was very aggressive. I received 16 chemotherapy sessions. 4 AC and 12 Taxol.
I was kind of a rare case with being slightly ER+. I was told that I could go on a hormone blocker for 5+ years. And was also told I could go into more surgeries and have a hysterectomy. I decided against both, the hormone blocker and hysterectomy. Because of my decisions, it’s been a very long road of extra doctor appointments and extra scans to keep a close eye on me.
Shortly, a year after finishing chemotherapy, my husband and I were blessed with a pregnancy. A pregnancy that we were told my chances were unlikely due to chemo. This blessing doubled! Yes, we were going to have twins! I had healthy boy/girl twins in June 2020.
It’s been a long and interesting ride the last 4 years. I’ve been learning how to juggle PTSD, anxiety, and just learn my new self after cancer. Finding 412Thrive has helped me with these emotions and how to juggle all of this with family and friends. I have connected with some amazing women. It’s a shame we had to find each other this way, but having people who actually truly understand me has made this journey the most enjoyable as it possibly can be. I’d be a complete wrecking ball if it wasn’t for them. Cancer is not for the old. Cancer can happen at any given age. Learn your body.