Introduction

On September 2, 2005, I was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer. Because I had been previously classified as at "high risk" for developing breast cancer, my doctors had been keeping a close watch on me for the past 8 years. My most recent mammogram was in December of 2004. It was normal. In July of 2005, I noticed what seemed like a breast infection. When it didn't go away after 2 weeks, I went to see my gynecologist. I was put on an antibiotic and given another mammogram. That mammogram was "inconclusive". When I didn't respond to the antibiotic, I was sent to a surgeon who did a core biopsy. The biopsy indicated inflammatory breast cancer.