The Chemo Club is so excited to get to know you!!! Please introduce yourself (Name, where you’re from) - What was your life like before undergoing chemotherapy?

 Hey there! 

My name is Sarah Lee Scott! I was born and raised in Northern California. Lived there until I met my guy who lived in the Nashville area! We were married in my backyard and then moved to TN! Now we live in KC and have four babies! I’m a stay at home mom and right before I was diagnosed in 2021 I found out that I was pregnant with our fourth!

Bring us along your journey – when were you diagnosed with cancer? What was your initial reaction?

 I was breast feeding my then 18 month old son and had found a lump(s) in my right breast. I thought it was a milk duct thing, but it HURT. I remember driving home to CA for Christmas and telling my husband that I wanted to go get it looked at when we were back home in Kansas. I conceived our baby in February and then a week later got the call that I had Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. (I would later learn I was grade 3, stage 2, her2+). I was devastated. I have never been more afraid and have NEVER ever experienced the crippling anxiety that all of a sudden was overtaking me in those early weeks. 

What was your first chemotherapy treatment like? What treatment/treatments did you or are currently undergoing?

 Since I was pregnant, my treatment plan was a little tricky. We did a mastectomy without reconstruction ASAP, just 16 days after I was diagnosed. Then we waited. Once baby was safely in second trimester, we started our chemo journey. I was terrified. My first day of chemo was filled with so many tears. I remember walking into the room where treatments were and it was so depressing. Dark, crowded, curtains drawn…no sense of community among other patients. It was HARD. But we did it! We did 4 rounds of AC chemo, 3 weeks apart. We then waited for baby to be born and once she was born I did 12 rounds of Taxol, and I also started my year of Herceptin. I just finished that year of Herceptin in October! 

Who did you turn to as your support system?

 Honestly, I don’t know how I got through any of if it wasn’t for my faith. But other than that-Jaymes, my husband, was my ever constant caretaker and support. I also didn’t have a lot of local friends and family, so my MAIN support was found through online friendships. Other women going through it. They got me through so many days and helped me KNOW that someone out there understood. Family and friends love you and support you, but unless they’ve experienced breast cancer, they don’t fully get it.

What is something you wished you knew before starting your chemo treatment?

 I don’t know! I feel like I would have tried LESS to prepare myself! I asked everyone and their mom what chemo was like for them, trying to figure out what it would be like for me. But all of the stories, good or bad, didn’t do one ounce of good. All it did was stress me out if it was a bad story! Truth is, everyone feels differently with chemo, and I just needed to walk through it and see. Wait and see and then handle it. 

Have there been certain side effects that have been worse than others?

 For me, the diarrhea I experienced my 12 weeks of taxol was AWFUL. Just awful!!!! AC chemo while pregnant was not that bad once I figured out what to do to help. But taxol, man…it was just the pits. Get yourself really comfortable talking about all things poop, cause chemo really messes with your stomach! 

What are tips/tricks you have learned along the way to help with chemo side effects?

 Ice those hands and feet with taxol! Nurses may not suggest it and they may think it’s just a hoax, but I’m pretty convinced that it helps!! Suck on candies during infusions, especially during AC (I think it was the cytoxin that left weird feelings in nose and mouth, and some things just taste weird). I’m a serious advocate for talking to your oncology team to help combat what you’re experiencing. Don’t suffer silently. 

Do you recommend any chemo-friendly products?

  I drank Ningxia (it’s a wolfberry beverage through Young Living oils ) and my blood counts were amazing.  I think it really helped! Chemo mouth/throat was no joke, so I would take Pepcid for that!!! Senna pills helped constipation! Camwell botanicals has wonderful chemo specific creams and radiation creams! Dry skin is no joke!

Any advice for other chemo patients?

 It’s hard! And your story will be your own. Don’t let others experiences scare you! And don’t downplay chemo because others say it was easy! That happened to me with taxol! I was NOT prepared for how bad it would be because 99% of my friends said it was SO MUCH EASIER. 

Just walk through it, one round at a time. Advocate for yourself with all of your side effects. They can help you! Special

Mouthwashes can be made, they can adjust dosage…just let them know if you’re struggling. Sleep tons. Stay active if you can! I was terrible at that! Drink lots of water. Eat what you can and don’t feel pressure to eat a certain way. Take care of your healthy cells and give them the good stuff! Don’t fret about the cancer cells! That’s the chemo’s job! And find a community. Find people to connect with who get what you’re going through!