Jennifer Majmudar

I was 30-years-old and indestructible! I was married to a wonderful man, had a job I loved, and was surrounded by loving family and friends.  My husband and I had just begun to try to start a family of our own.  I don't remember exactly when I felt the lump in my left breast, but I remember thinking I would mention it to my gynecologist during my next check-up in January 2009.  At the same appointment where he was confirming the happy news that I was pregnant, he also felt the lump and suggested I see a specialist.  I saw the specialist and he said that a mammogram was not recommended due to the radiation exposure to the baby, so I had an ultrasound, which was negative.  The specialist said it was probably nothing since I was young with no family history of breast cancer, but the only way to be 100% sure was to have a biopsy.  It was scheduled during my second trimester for the baby's safety.  I had the biopsy on April 13, 2009. Two days later on April 15, 2009, we received the call that I had breast cancer.

We went to a breast cancer specialty center in Orange, CA, where they have all the doctors and facilities right there in one office.  They got their whole team together to discuss treatment options for me.  In fact this team had experience with nearly 30 other women who were pregnant with breast cancer.  In their opinion, the best course of treatment for my particular situation would be a mastectomy, then chemo while pregnant, deliver the baby, then a different round of chemo, then radiation, and finally reconstruction.  And that I would probably have to take a pill called Tamoxifen for 5 years to prevent recurrence.  We were thrilled to hear that I could have treatment while I was pregnant, and that other women had been through this same situation had gone on to give birth to perfectly healthy babies!

After my mastectomy they were able to diagnose me as having Stage IIIb invasive lobular and ductal carcinoma.  Two weeks after the mastectomy I started chemo.  My hair fell out, and I had nausea and vomiting.  Maya Jay Majmudar was 5 weeks early, weight 4 pounds, 10 ounces and perfectly healthy!

Three weeks after Maya was born I had a full body scan that was negative. I underwent chemotherapy again.  This time it was fatigue and body aches that were the worst of the symptoms.  Chemo finally ended on December 7, 2009.  Radiation started in late January 2010 and ended on March 5, 2010.  My skin is healing well and I have started taking Tamoxifen daily.  My hair is slowly growing back and I am waiting until I can have my breasts reconstructed.

My one year anniversary since my diagnosis coming up.  If you look it up on the Internet, the 5-year survival rates for someone with Stage IIIb cancer is around 60%, give or take.  My daughter is currently 7 months old and is the greatest source of joy I have ever known.  Forget 5 years - I will play with my grandchildren someday!

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