New mom Milanda finds joy after breast cancer
It was cancer.
Just six months after giving birth, Milanda was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease.
A whirlwind of decisions, treatments and emotional days followed as she fought for herself and her young family.
Now, on the other side of her cancer journey, Milanda is enjoying life with her husband and son — and sharing what she’s learned during treatment at Allina Health Cancer Institute.
As a carrier of the BRCA1 genetic mutation, Milanda knew she was at high risk for cancer. She started recommended monitoring when she was in her mid-20s and living in Washington, D.C. When she moved back to her hometown of St. Paul, Minn. she followed the advice of an oncologist friend and became a patient at the Piper Breast Center, which specializes in the care she needed as an at-risk patient.
While Milanda had received a clear mammogram a few months earlier, a new ultrasound revealed a tumor, and the biopsy confirmed it was cancerous. The urgency hit home when she was asked to come in at 10 a.m. the next day.
Milanda and her husband, Dan, consulted with Daniel Carlson, DO, a breast medical oncologist and clinical investigator at Allina Health Cancer Institute.
“Dr. Carlson had specific recommendations, but he was very clear about putting all of the choices in my hands,” she said.
Milanda, Dan, and Dr. Carlson quickly formulated a plan for six months of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, followed by surgery, and possibly radiation. Because of the aggressive nature of her cancer strain, Dr. Carlson advised Milanda to start chemotherapy within two weeks.
Balancing cancer treatment with parenting
Being a new mother is difficult, but as a cancer patient with a baby, the situation is even more challenging. “As a new parent, you become very quickly accustomed to pushing yourself through your fatigue and your tiredness. It doesn't matter if you're tired, you keep going,” said Milanda.
She says she needed to put those instincts aside, though, and prioritize her own rest.
“If you don't rest, your body might not make it through chemo. And making it through chemo is what's going to probably save your life,” she continued.
While it was difficult managing cancer with a baby, feelings of gratitude were also part of the journey. “What better reason to look at things positively than a little baby that's smiling and cooing at you and is just happy to see you?” Milanda said.
Whole person care for treating cancer
Throughout her care, Milanda saw several health care providers, though Dr. Carlson and Erin, her nurse navigator, carried her through the medical journey.
“Erin became my go-to person to call if I had questions after an appointment,” said Milanda. “To have someone on the inside who can figure out the way that things need to fit together in the right way was so deeply valuable. Having someone like Erin in your corner can make all the difference.”
Milanda also had full trust in Dr. Carlson and his experience in determining a customized treatment plan.
“I'm the sort of person who wants all the information. I want to be an active participant in my care,” Milanda said. “He was the expert. He had the studies. He could tell me his opinions, but I was always in the driver's seat, and I never felt rushed out of a conversation.”
Milanda also consulted with an Allina Health genetics counselor and made use of the experts at the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing for integrative medicine and acupuncture. Following her mastectomy, she received rehabilitation therapy at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute to prevent lymphedema and improve her range of motion and mobility.
“What has been so particularly special about receiving care at Allina Health is the overwhelming commitment to treating me not just as a patient, but as a human being,” Milanda said.
Finding joy for the future
Now that Milanda’s intensive treatment is over, she and her family are finding joy in more predictability and planning new adventures.
“I'm looking forward to traveling to see family and friends, camping, hiking, taking our sweet child to different places around the cities — and being able to open our lives up a little bit now that less space is taken up by cancer.”
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