I have been blessed beyond measure with family, friends, and co-workers who love and care about me.  While I wish I could sit and chat with each one of you individually it's just not possible.  This website was created as a means to keep everyone up-to-date with what's going on.  I will be updating frequently so please check back often.

The Backstory

In March 2002 I felt a lump in my breast that turned out to be cancer.  After 10 months of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments I was deemed to be disease free.  I'm so thankful for my wonderful treatment team that included Dr. John Crighton, Dr. Carl Price, Dr. Abe Abdallah, and especially Dr. Robert Ellis.  I believe God's hand was in their choosing.  They each helped me wade through a plethora of information to determine the right treatment for me.

 I'm also very thankful for my husband, Steve, my sons, Dane and CJ, my parents, my friend Stacy, my Graceway church family, and my Missouri Rehabilitation Center family.  Each of these wonderful folks rejoiced with me in the good days and helped me through the not-so-good days.  They put up with a lot during that time and stuck by me.

 I continued to follow up over the next six years with blood tests, bone scans, x-rays, MRIs, etc., and there was no sign of a return of the cancer.  Until recently anyway...

 On December 31 I went to Urgent Care due to some pretty intense right side and back pain. Because I had recently been fighting a sinus and respiratory infection I was a little concerned about pneumonia.  After asking questions and listening to my lungs the doctor, Jess Lyons, sent me for an x-ray - suspecting a fractured rib.  Sure enough the x-ray showed that I had fractured a rib just below my scapula.  However, more concerning to him was the spot that showed up in my left lung.  He sent me for a CT scan which confirmed a 12mm mass in my left lower lobe.  (A spot had shown up on a CT two years ago but because of its size, my negative blood tests, and a lack of symptoms it was determined to be a granuloma or something else equally harmless.)  A comparison of the old and new CT films showed a significant change.  He referred me to Dr. Terrence Coulter, a pulmonologist (lung doctor).

 I met with Dr. Coulter who did a very thorough history and decided that, because of my previous diagnosis, I needed a PET scan to determine if the mass was an area of infection related to my respiratory illness or if it was a cancerous lesion. (Very simply, a PET scan uses a radioactive glucose-based contrast material injected into the vein.  As the contrast spreads through the circulatory system it is absorbed by the cells.  The most active cells [and cancer cells are very active] absorb the most contrast and appear brighter on the scan.)  Dr. Coulter called me with the results that I apparently lit up like a Christmas tree.  (My words, not his!)  There was abnormal absorption in the left lung mass in question as well as in my ribs, my spine, my left hip, and my right thigh.  The next step was to be a biopsy of the lung tissue (as the easiest tissue to access) to identify whether the cancer cells were consistent with my previous breast cancer or if it was a new cancer we were dealing with.

 I had the biopsy on Tuesday, January 13, and went home to wait two days for the results.  When they were finally available I had the news that none of us wanted to hear...metastatic breast cancer.  (Metastatic breast cancer is simply cancer that has spread to another place in my body.  The cancerous lung mass isn't lung cancer but breast cancer that has metastasized, or moved, to my lung.) At that point my association with Dr. Coulter ended and my care was again returned to Dr. Ellis.  I met with him on Friday, January 16, at which time we discussed what treatment options were available.  As I already knew, Dr. Ellis stated that there is no cure for metastatic breast cancer.  The plan will be to slow down the progression as much as possible.  To that end Dr. Ellis ordered a test of the biopsied lung tissue that was not available six years ago.  It is a much more sensitive test that will give us very specific information about my cancer cells that will help to determine the best course of treatment.  He also requested an MRI of my brain, to identify whether or not there is any metastasis there, and of my spine to see if any of the lesions are likely to soon cause problems with my spinal cord.  In addition, he started me on a medication to help strengthen my bones and to delay any complications from the bone metastasis - like fractures (hence the cracked rib!).

I hope to have these new tests completed this week and meet with Dr. Ellis again the end of the week or beginning of the next.  I'm anxious to get the ball rolling on treatment. 

 Please check back for updates.  It is my plan to add new information as it is available.  Thanks for caring!

-Jackie Haynes

If you would like to read more than just the facts please click on the "My Spiritual Journey" page.  That's the real heart of this site.