My Journey Begins Here – Part 1

In August 2023, I was turning 60, and my husband and son had planned a special birthday trip to France. I was beyond excited — it had been years since we had taken a vacation together, especially with my son, who hadn’t traveled with us since middle school. The trip was everything I could have hoped for: beautiful, memorable, and filled with joy. I cherished every moment with the two most important men in my life and felt incredibly blessed.

But just weeks after returning home, in September, everything changed. One night as I was lying in bed, I absentmindedly placed my hand under my right breast — something I often did out of habit — and felt a lump. My heart sank. I checked again and again, hoping I was mistaken, but the lump was undeniably there. Somehow, I managed to fall asleep that night, though fear consumed me. The next morning, I asked my husband to feel it too, and together we agreed I needed to call my gynecologist immediately.

Thankfully, I was able to see him the same day. After examining me, he reassured me that it didn’t seem serious but referred me for a mammogram just to be safe. Just a FYI that I had my annual mammogram 10 months prior to this, and it was all clear. The mammogram was followed by an ultrasound, and then a biopsy — the next standard steps for a suspicious lump.

The wait for results was agonizing. Nearly two weeks later, I finally received the call I had been dreading: I was diagnosed with ER/PR positive, HER2 negative ductal carcinoma — breast cancer. The only comfort was that the tumor was small, less than 2 cm, and considered Stage 1. Still, I needed to act quickly and find both a breast surgeon and an oncologist.

After gathering recommendations from friends and doing my own research, I chose Dr. Armando Giuliano, a highly respected breast cancer surgical oncologist at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. At my consultation, he recommended a lumpectomy since the tumor was small and localized. To be certain, I also underwent genetic testing for BRCA 1 and 2, along with an MRI to check my left breast. The results brought a measure of relief: I was negative for both BRCA genes, and my MRI showed no additional tumors. With that reassurance, I began preparing for surgery — the first step in my journey toward healing.

This is only Part 1 of my journey and in the coming weeks/months I will be sharing much more of my experience and will share helpful tips for you as well. Meanwhile you can write a comment for me here or email me directly at nora@juststylela.com with any questions you may have.

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