Brittany Baarson was pregnant with her second child when she began to experience debilitating foot pain. Here, she shares the story of her cancer diagnosis and treatment.
During what was supposed to be one of the happiest times of my life, debilitating foot pain interrupted my ability to see the finish line of giving birth to my second child. After seven months of chasing the misdiagnosis of a “vascular malformation” I finally received a call from my doctor. I’ll never forget those words spoken through streams of tears, “Brittany, you have cancer. You need a foot amputation, and the hospital is waiting for you.” Here we are in 2022, and my only option for immediate care was a foot amputation. How barbaric.
Starting My Treatment Journey
I proceeded with the foot amputation and was released into a new world of medical oncology, completely unfamiliar to me and my young family. Given I was still pregnant, I recovered at home and returned two weeks later to deliver my daughter at 34 weeks; a compromise to allow my daughter maximum growth and minimal health defects while also allowing me to start chemotherapy as soon as possible.
One week after delivering my daughter I started cisplatin and doxorubicin chemotherapy. After three cycles, scans revealed that a nodule below my knee had tripled in size. I not only would be having more surgery, but they would also need to redesign my chemotherapy regimen.
Knowing that cisplatin and doxorubicin are the primary chemotherapies involved in treating this cancer, I became terrified that I was running out of options. I went from a below-the-knee amputation to an above-the-knee amputation five days after getting my CT scan and quickly raced to get consults from multiple oncologists regarding next steps.
Going Through the Unexpected
Ultimately, my providers and I decided on high-dose ifosfamide. I completed six rounds of chemotherapy on this regimen.
Three weeks after my final round, I celebrated with a thoracotomy – an open lung surgery.
We anticipated finding around 10 to 20 nodules between both lungs, which was disheartening in and of itself, only to be amplified when I later found out that the surgeon removed 95 nodules in the right lung alone and did not perform surgery on the left side.
Despite the blow of finding out about my lung surgery, I learned a lot about my condition. The tumor nodules were in fact osteosarcoma but were very tiny and not picked up on CT scans.
Additionally, I have what is called “tumor thrombus” where the tumors actually exist inside of my blood vessels, making them more challenging to be picked up on scans.
An Attitude of Gratitude
I had a recent thoracotomy to attempt to get the remaining tumors out of my left lung, which thankfully went well.
Through this process I have learned a lot. First, I have found my voice and realized the importance of advocacy. If a physician’s opinion does not sit right with you, keep searching. Get a second, third, or fourth opinion, if necessary, until you find a provider who will listen to your concerns and values your life.
Second, find a support team who loves you unconditionally. This cancer is rough, and it is okay to ask for help.
Lastly, have an attitude of gratitude. Cancer sucks, but try to find something good in each day. There are so many things that we overlook, but there is joy in simplicity. Find time to celebrate the good things in your life.
For more information on my story, please listen to my podcast episode on Girls 4 Greatness with host Delia Perry.
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