Keri Haberstroh's Metastatic Breast Cancer Story, Chapter 5: The Radiation Treatment Plan

A reality-based comic strip chronicles the life of Keri and Doug Haberstroh, young newlyweds fighting breast cancer. Keri was first diagnosed with breast cancer (invasive / infiltrating ductal carcinoma) at age 25. Now 26, Keri has learned that her cancer is Stage 4, or metastatic, having spread to her sacrum (tail bone). Fourteen radiation treatments are what's next for Keri.

Meet Doug Haberstroh

Why I Am Telling Keri's Story

My name is Doug, and I am a breast cancer husband. I'm here to share the story of the love of my life. It was Keri's dream that her thoughts, ideas, and love be shared publicly, so others could learn from her experience.

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Radiation for Stage 4 Breast Cancer

The Breast Cancer Has Spread
A few weeks earlier, Keri noticed an annoying pain in her lower back. An MRI reveals that her cancer had spread.
The Radiation Plan
Additional MRI scans show that Keri's cancer has only spread to one spot on her sacrum, which will be the target of her next 25 radiation treatments.
First Radiation Treatment: A Buzz... And That's It
Keri doesn't see or feel anything during her first radiation treatment for Stage 4 breast cancer that has spread to her tailbone.
Breast Cancer, Year One
Keri writes a poem that captures her first year with breast cancer.
Last Radiation Treatment... Yeah!!!
Good news. The doctors decide to cut Keri's radiation treatment short, from 25 rounds to 14. The pain in her lower back has dulled a bit.

How We're Telling Keri's Story

See the Entire Story Told in Comic Strip Form
The comic strip captions are excerpts from emails Keri and Doug sent to loved ones during Keri's treatment. Doug is re-publishing those emails in his blog. Together, the comics and Doug's SharePosts tell Keri's story - from start to finish.

Keri's Breast Cancer Comics

Episode 12: The Cancer Has Spread

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Metastatic Breast Cancer Comics

Episode 12: The Breast Cancer Has Spread
For Keri's MRI to investigate a pain in her lower back, she had to lay still for hours. The results? There's a new cancerous growth in Keri's sacrum.

Table of Contents: 6 Chapters

The Next Chapter: More Pain

After 14 Rounds of Radiation

The pain that started in Keri's lower back has now spread to her legs. Her doctors are concerned that the radiation did not fully kill the cancer in her sacrum. It's back to chemo.

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