Hey guys! Marce Lamontagne here.  Thank you so much for joining me in my first episode of Breast Cancer and the Unknown.  In todays episode I want to tell you a little about myself and my journey that brought me to create this podcast and what I am hoping you as a listener will get out of it.  When I was first diagnosed in 2016, my brother who is a pretty well known podcaster URGED me to start a podcast.  I was like, “Yeah, yeah, I’ll do it”, but the fear of the unknowns of starting a podcast and putting myself out there, really gave me hesitation.  So months pas,  then years, and I thought at some point he would stop bugging me, but he didn’t! So when covid hit I thought, “Marce…if there is anytime to start a podcast now is the time.  There are so many people out there struggling with not only being newly diagnosed with Breast Cancer, but going through it during Covid with all those unknowns and fears.” I felt that if my story and others like mine could help even one person, I could get over my own fears of starting a podcast and just do it!  I mean, starting a podcast is definitely not as scary as being diagnosed with breast cancer.  So here I am, putting myself out there, I hope you enjoy it! As I said, I was diagnosed back in 2016.  I was 35 years old, a part time nurse, full time mom to a 5 year old girl (KC) and a 2 year old boy (will) and had just celebrated my 10 year anniversary with my husband when I felt a lump on my left breast. I was pretty healthy overall and had actually just finished an 8 week beachbody program.   I had  FINALLY lost the last 10 pounds of baby weight I had been carrying around!!!   I wasn’t really worried but I asked my mom who is also a nurse what her thoughts were.  Since breast cancer runs in my family she recommended me setting up an apt with my PCP.  Since I alllllways listen to my mom, I made an apt for the following week and had my dr do an exam.  Although breast cancer runs strongly in my family, my doctor wasn’t overally concerned. We decided to monito it and set up an apt for a follow up a month later.  when October came around I went in for my apt and my doctor said she felt the lump was the same and still was not concerned. She did however offer a mammogram to be safe, and usually I would have been like “nah- if you are not concerned neither am I” but something in my gut urged me to go ahead and set up an apt. 2 weeks later I headed in for my mammogram- not even thinking my life could drastically change, yet I walked out a completely different person.  My apt went like this- mammogram to Ultra sound which showed an enlarged lymph node, to the radiologist coming in saying they saw something worrisome and wanted to set up a biopsy.  My drive home was such a blur and when I got home THANK GOD my husband Justin was there.  He asked me how my apt went.  I immediately started crying. I remember saying… They saw something and said it was worrisome….not suspicious….worrisome…worrisome is better than suspicious right?? He gave me a big hug…Im sure not knowing what to say, but the hug I definitely needed.  I got a call the next day to set up a biopsy.  10 days later…10 days…like an eternity!! So I waited…and waited the best I could.  But by day 8 I couldn’t take it anymore.   I called the Breast Center in Scarborough Maine and they were able to get me an apt to see the Nurse Practitioner Karen (my god I love Karen!)  She pulled up the mammogram and said to me- look Marce, I can tell you without even having a biopsy that you are atleast stage 2, it has spread to your lymph nodes and we will need to do chemo.  I mean if my mouth didn’t hit the floor right then I would be shocked!    Fast forward through all the waiting…waiting for my biopsy results…I ended up being triple positive, waiting for second opinions, waiting for scans, genetic counseling…the works.  I mean lets be honest…this part SUCKED!! Like really SUCKED.  My head was spinning with questions…whats the treatment plan, has is spread