Stephanie Wysaski a 35-year-old mother of two from Illinois. She is courageously navigating a new and unexpected path through breast cancer while pregnant with her fourth child. Her diagnosis came as a shock when she discovered a sizable lump high on her chest during a routine breast self-exam prompted by a television segment. At the time, she was breastfeeding her 11-month-old daughter and had just found out she was pregnant again.
For Wysaski, the experience became a nightmare when the specialists were the ones who confirmed the diagnosis. It came as a surprise to them, too, she said. It really altered the trajectory of my pregnancy completely. As her pregnancy progressed, she began to face the daunting prospect of undergoing chemotherapy. It began when her unborn baby was just 15 weeks old.
Vanderbuilt oncologist, Dr Annabelle Veerapaneni, walked Wysaski through a chemotherapy regimen. This treatment was rigorously developed to prevent risks to the mother and fetus. Dr. Veerapaneni kept her calm with a simple explanation, “The cornerstone treatment provided during pregnancy is extremely safe.” This enabled Wysaski to concentrate on her own health and the health of her unborn child.
As her chemotherapy treatments persisted through her pregnancy, Wysaski remarked on the whirlwind of feelings. I’m always getting lost in my own cancer-fueled fantasy, she mused, as she looked back on the day. My children still depend on me for drop-off and pickup from school, and they enjoy our pre-bed cuddle session. Orchestrating this balancing act behind-the-scenes became increasingly difficult and essential as she readied herself for motherhood once again.
With chemotherapy successfully completed in late August, Wysaski is hopeful but recognizes there is still a long road ahead. She told us how happy she was to finally feel her baby move as she explained the experience of “kicking, rolling, punching.” Yet the stark realities of her diagnosis weighed, as you can imagine, very, very heavily on her mind.
I feel a lump, a pretty big lump way up on my chest,” Wysaski remembered of her first realization. Even with that constant burden, her mind stayed on her family and the happiness awaiting with the arrival of a new child.
With her life in the balance, the medical team paid careful attention to Wysaski’s condition during her treatment, aware of how critical her state was. Dr. Veerapaneni’s plea underscored how crucial and dire the need truly is. It was spreading very quickly, and due to the fact that it has metastasized to a lymph node, we need to treat this as soon as we can.
Wysaski is preparing to deliver preterm on Tuesday at 34 weeks. The emotional toll of her experience only heightens her hope for a healthy delivery. The adventure has changed her approach to being a mom and what it means to be strong.
