“Matthew: My Miracle, My Hero”
The Lindfors family and their little miracle, Matthew; Simi Valley, CA

We have been very blessed by our baby Matthew in more ways than one. It all started 9 years ago, after being diagnosed with endometriosis. A wise doctor friend told us that if we were serious about having a baby, we should go see Dr. Richard Marrs, a fertility specialist. It would be expensive but well worth it. We took this advice, went to see this amazing physician, and it was, well worth it.

The pressure of infertility and being the only sibling to give my mother a grandchild was lifted by the excitement and hope of getting pregnant. We started out with a diagnostic cycle to see if there was anything else that would contribute to our infertility. Along with my female issues, we also had a low sperm count and motility.

After 3 inseminations, we got pregnant! The news spread fast…we were going to have a baby. My lab values were perfect, the 1st and 2nd ultrasounds had great fetal heart tones, and my baby was growing. Everything was the way it was supposed to be until the 3rd ultrasound. I woke up in the morning and felt something was not right. I couldn’t tell what was wrong; I just felt something was not right. When I went in for the ultrasound, I could see Dr. Marrs’ face and knew there was a problem. At 10 weeks gestation, there was no heartbeat. A D&C with Genetics was performed with a result of severe chromosomal anomalies, incompatible with life.

It took time for me to recover from the loss and the thought of attempting another pregnancy was the furthest thing from my mind. My husband and I talked with Dr. Marrs and due to age, the best answer was to freeze some embryos.

When we were ready to get pregnant, we did an FET (frozen embryo transfer), which resulted in a positive BHCG. The lab values were not great. We stopped the medication and miscarried. A second attempt with the remaining embryos was not successful.

A further discussion with Dr. Marrs lead us to another IVF cycle with the transfer of fresh embryos. We got pregnant. The lab levels were high and the first ultrasound showed two embryos, one was perfect and one was small. Both had fetal heart tones. By the 8th week, we lost one heartbeat. Now it was just a waiting game with the remaining one fetus.

We made it thru 12 weeks gestation and had not told anyone about our pregnancy. We wanted to wait to announce our pregnancy until we were sure it was normal. Over the next 8 weeks, we did all the possible testing that could be done, including ultrasounds, amniocentesis and a fetal echocardiogram. Our little guy was perfect!

We were 20 weeks pregnant, with one more check up at the OB before announcing that we were pregnant with a baby boy. Little did I know that this check up was going to turn my world upside down and backwards.

I noticed some changes in my breast particularly on the right, which in most cases are normal to have with pregnancy. When I went to my OB, he said, he was sure it was nothing but that I needed to get it checked. Because of being pregnant, he wanted me to have an ultrasound done instead of a mammogram. Deep down, I knew that the characteristics of the retracting nipple were not a good thing. Being pregnant, I was one raging, hormone. Knowing that breast cancer is usually hormone sensitive, I did not hesitate to get it checked.

I went to see a Radiologist who did the ultrasound followed by a mammogram and needle biopsy. There was a small mass that caused the nipple to retract. The mass did not show on mammogram but was very clear on the ultrasound. It was positive for invasive ductal carcinoma, intermediate grade.

My first thoughts were not what about myself, they were about my baby. I was NOT going to do anything to hurt our little guy. We had been through so much to get to this point and there was no way I would endanger him.

We now had to tell our family and friends the exciting news of being pregnant only to be complicated by breast cancer. How do you tell your family and friends this wonderful yet horrible news?

Dr. Marrs referred me to the best surgeon and Oncologists in Santa Monica. Everything fell into place…in one week. From positive biopsy results to surgery was exactly one week.

The plan was to have a lumpectomy, followed by Chemotherapy and Radiation. We were reassured that the general anesthesia and chemotherapy would not harm the baby. The surgery went perfect with clear margins and negative nodes. We then started chemo at 24 weeks gestation under the guidance of my Oncologist, OB and Perinatalogist.

Over the next 15 weeks, we were both monitored very close. I sailed through the chemo treatment without any side effects, except for some preterm labor, which was an easy fix with an oral medication. I had a fetal monitor at home so if I became nervous, felt contractions or did not feel the baby move, I could connect the monitor and take a big sigh of relief. I was fortunate to hear and see my baby’s heartbeat at anytime I needed to.

After the 3rd dose of chemo, we scheduled a Cesarean Section, which made us 35.5 weeks. It was going to be plus or minus 1-2 days of my 38th birthday, so I decided that he would be my birthday present. The delivery was one big party without any complications.

Because of being pregnant, I found a breast mass that I would never have found, due to the location, until it was too late.

Because of being pregnant, I had a breast ultrasound instead of a mammogram, which the mammogram did not show the mass.

Because of being pregnant, my focus was not on my illness, but on the future of my baby boy. This made the treatment for cancer relatively uncomplicated.

Because of my little Matthew, I am alive and cancer free.

I completed the chemotherapy and radiation treatments and delivered a baby in the process. I would not have made it through this part of my life if it weren’t for the incredible care and support received from all of my doctors, nurses, family, friends and especially my husband and son.