My moms final results are back. She has triple negative breast cancer and due to have chemotherapy in the next few weeks followed by surgery.
I just want some reassurance from other people that things won’t be as bad as I am expecting. I’ve just googled TNBC and I am now say sobbing, having a panic about the future.
Thanks x
Hi Snowy, just want to say what a lovely daughter you are supporting mom through this. I haven’t had your moms type of cancer, but someone will be on shortly, I’m sure, who can help. In the meantime can I advise you not to google. There is always an unpleasant ending, and Google is not a doctor. Instead, why don’t you download some appropriate information leaflets from this site? They were a great help to me when I was diagnosed two years ago. Just don’t get ahead of yourself or you may find it a bit overwhelming. They are especially useful for meetings, and enable you to ask appropriate and relevant questions about the disease . Get a notebook and jot down your worries and concerns . Also useful for taking notes at meetings with the Onco as your mind will skitter about a bit. I was diagnosed at age 70 , and I was Er+, with an aggressive tumour . I’ve had surgery, full lymph node removal, chemo and 25 sessions of radiotherapy - and I’m here to tell the tale! I have secondaries in both lungs which are well under control with two types of meds, so it’s not all doom and gloom. Not saying the journey is easy, but definitely doable. It is a time of worry, and I remember that so well, but once your mom has started her treatment you will be able to focus on getting her through it. You may want to look at adjusting her diet as chemo alters taste buds, getting paraban free gels and soaps as the skin becomes more sensitive with treatment, and using gentle walks to both lift the spirits and keep those joints moving. Remember, the medical team is on your moms side, and her success is their success. Best wishes to you both. X
Hi,
I cannot thank you enough for getting back to me. I’ve just sat and cried reading your response! It’s so lovely to have a reply from somebody like you who can shed light on the situation because you have been there yourself.
It’s so hard hearing your mom has breast cancer and I suppose it felt like a double blow when I heard them saying the words “aggressive and rarer type of cancer”. It absolutely petrified me and after looking on google I got myself into a sheer panic. I have told myself I need to start looking at the most up to date and repeatable sites and also remember that everyone is different in their journey.
I have to be grateful that we have the NHS screening service that managed to find moms cancer with a routine mammogram. She cannot feel the lump so I feel lucky that she was called up when she was.
Sorry to hear about your secondaries but so pleased they are under control. And thank you so so much for taking the time to respond to me I can’t tell you how one little message like that has lifted my spirits massively.
Xxx
Thank you Owl Lady for getting back to me and giving me some advice regarding how to help mom during treatment. I will let her know those tips thank you.
Its good to hear the treatment is do able. She is having her chemotherapy first rather than the surgery. She is just waiting dates now which is tough but hopefully we should know more next week.
Take care
X
Sorry to be a nuisance but nobody has mentioned to my mom about further tests and scans ie CT/MRI or PET scans. Should she be having them to check for the stage or spread of disease? Thanks x
Thank you for your reply. That’s helpful to know. I think she’s just fearful because she has had increasing back pain over the last few months and her legs have been causing her some problems recently. She had a back problem a few years ago so it could be related to that but you know how our wonderful minds work wonders and take us to another train of thought. I’ll ask her to mention it to the consultant if she’s worried.
Take care x
Hi snowy,
I was diagnosed with TN at the age of 49
I had surgery, chemo then reconstruction surgery.
Breast cancer is not the death sentence it once was.
Please don’t google anything, at best it’s out of date and will only scare the bejesus out of you x
Not going to lie…surgery makes you uncomfortable for a few weeks and chemo makes you feel rough for a few months.
I will be 55 in January and NED (no evidence of disease)?
Best of luck to your Mum x
Hi snowy
I was diagnosed in aug but didn’t find out it was tripple negative till October I’m 37
I now stay away from google as it’s very old study’s
I had surgery first and have had three cycles of chemo now
I can advise the first few days we’ll werre rotten after each cycle but then day by day it gets better
Have plenty of drinks in the house also maybe spicier food than normal as it can effect taste badly I
It did mine so I need strong flavours just to taste the food xx