Stage 4 TNBC
Hello. My first time posting in this group. I’m 39, mum of two children. Was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in Nov 2018, originally hormone receptive, of which I underwent 6 months chemo, bilat...
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Hi @Watto, I feel your pain and note that although I am almost four years in from my diagnosis of de novo metastatic breast cancer (had bone mets in hip) I can say that the pain has lessened but it is not uncommon for me to have a cry in private on a regular basis. People think you are amazing, but really you have to be when you have children to look after. I too have youngish kids (14 and 16) and their father chooses not to have anything to do with them, so am worried about who will look after them should I die before they are adults. I use this to motivate myself in regard to my health. I also try to focus on the positives associated with having advanced cancer (although to some people this is quite morbid) - things like I don't have to save for my retirement, I am in a better position financially than I would have been because I have accessed by life insurance and TDP insurance (prior to diagnosis I was a senior excecutive in health unable to get a job), I am able to have a body that looks like I am 18 again thanks to medicare's support in relation to breast reconstruction, tummy tuck and subsequent fine tuning which is coming up (although no one except me sees my body)!
Know that you are not alone and there are many beautiful women on this discussion board who are only to happy to provide you with guidance. Like you, I appeared to have both hormone receptor positive/ Her -ve and triple negative tumours when diagnosed. The doctors still don't believe it and have assumed that I am hormone receptor positive/Her -ve because having two different kinds of breast cancer at the one time never happens!! I note though I have not responded well to hormone treatments, so does this mean I am hormone resistant or triple negative? I have been thinking about this recently, so will ask my oncologist next week, as it could mean different treatment options are available. I am BRCA negative though, whereas being BRCA positive may make them think that you are triple negative.
Although you prognosis is not good, you will have quite a few years ahead of you given the current treatments available. So make the most of it and spend as much time with your dear children as you can. Lisa xxx
Know that you are not alone and there are many beautiful women on this discussion board who are only to happy to provide you with guidance. Like you, I appeared to have both hormone receptor positive/ Her -ve and triple negative tumours when diagnosed. The doctors still don't believe it and have assumed that I am hormone receptor positive/Her -ve because having two different kinds of breast cancer at the one time never happens!! I note though I have not responded well to hormone treatments, so does this mean I am hormone resistant or triple negative? I have been thinking about this recently, so will ask my oncologist next week, as it could mean different treatment options are available. I am BRCA negative though, whereas being BRCA positive may make them think that you are triple negative.
Although you prognosis is not good, you will have quite a few years ahead of you given the current treatments available. So make the most of it and spend as much time with your dear children as you can. Lisa xxx