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In May 2014, MyBCTeam member Becky Caroll was diagnosed with stage 2 HER2-positive breast cancer. After undergoing treatments including mastectomy, chemotherapy, and reconstructive surgery, she thought her cancer was under control. However, four-and-a-half years later, she began having bone and back pain. This led her to discover the cancer had metastasized (spread) to her bones — and later, her brain.

Through it all, Becky has remained committed to living an active, healthy, balanced life. “Once it came back as metastatic, everything changed, because the reality is in front of you and it’s medication every day, all for the rest of my life,” she said. “So that’s really what changed the most ... that I just have to live my life the best I can and go from there.”

Previously a third-grade teacher, Becky realized she wouldn’t be able to continue teaching full time once her cancer had spread. Now, she spends three days per week volunteering at a local elementary school. “I really work very hard with the kids with school. I have a little guy that I mentor, and I love being in school. I miss teaching terribly, so my day is usually very full,” she said.

She also volunteers at a children’s clothing store, with local theaters, and at a refugee program. She’s active with multiple breast cancer support groups — all while making time to socialize with friends, travel, spend time with grandchildren, and take her dog out for daily walks to the park or the beach.

Becky makes sure to stick to her treatment schedule and other appointments, which can be time-consuming and difficult to track. “My schedule for my treatment is very odd. It’s three weeks, one thing, four weeks, one thing, four weeks, another thing. So it’s very on, off, on, off when I have to have blood work to see the doctor. So I have my calendar, and I know everything that I have to do,” she said.

She also takes time to check in with herself and is careful not to overexert herself. “In order to keep a schedule, you have to know your highs and lows throughout the day,” she said. “The chemo that I’m on, the oral that I’m on, I can start to feel the fatigue coming on a little bit late in the afternoon. So I just lay down for half an hour, stretch my back out, and then I’m able to go on until the evening.”

Both cancer and treatments can take a physical toll, and Becky sometimes has days where she needs to stay home and rest. “A bad day is when I wake up, I have diarrhea, I can’t get it under control. I have to change all my plans because it’s just not working,” she said. “I have to call and say I need to come in for fluids. But I try to take control of it. I try to say, ’OK, this is going to pass. Let’s just do what works.’”

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On MyBCTeam, the social network for people with breast cancer and their loved ones, more than 69,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with breast cancer.

Are you living with metastatic breast cancer? How has it affected your day-to-day life? Share your experiences in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.

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Becky plays an active role in working with her health care team to choose treatments that best meet her personal needs.

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In 2018, Becky’s HER2-positive breast cancer diagnosis took a turn for the worse when back pain led to the discovery that the cancer had spread to her bones.

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