body, causing various side effects and challenges.
The following month, Bell started 30 rounds of radiation therapy, intending to target the cancer in her breast.
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Unfortunately, all of her progress came to an immediate halt when she had to undergo emergency surgery and MRI.
A subsequent craniotomy and stereotactic radiation followed in September, unleashing a cascade of complications that tested Bell’s resilience.
“I thought that my little body was set to return back to business as usual once I finished but NOPE,” Bell shares. “That was the thought process of a very energetic, independent and stubborn 35-year-old.”
“Long story short, it’s been a roller coaster. I finally got the MRI. I had a craniotomy. I did five proton therapy brain radiation treatments. I started a new regimen of chemo pills, which still includes receiving my triweekly Herceptin infusion. This process has hit me hard. I plainly remember thinking how a 35-year-old could feel so much older in such a short time frame,” Bell says.
Post-radiation, Bell encountered more unforeseen challenges, including steroid-induced myopathy and dysphagia, leading to a drastic decline in her ability to walk and eat.
“I couldn’t walk anymore – I started walking with a cane and then it went from a cane to a walker to a wheelchair and I couldn’t eat anymore,” Bell recalls. “I honestly thought I was gonna die. They started talking about Hospice that’s how serious they were.”
Bell continued to fight, determined to overcome the obstacles that threatened to eclipse her indomitable spirit.
By the end of 2021, a new chapter began for Bell, who underwent a right breast mastectomy, liver resection, and the removal of lymph nodes during a marathon 12-hour surgery.
“Going into my metastatic journey, my main goal was to treat my diagnosis as aggressively as I could so that I could have a greater chance at life. I remember having bursts of strength at times, just because I knew that I needed to be strong. Even while fighting for my life, I was