TNBC Stage 3 experience, strength, hope

Posted by shelli711 @shelli711, Aug 17 6:27am

Recently diagnosed with Stage 3 TNBC and welcome anyone’s experience, strength and hope with a similar diagnosis. Thank you. Shelli❤️‍🩹

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seathink | @seathink | Aug 18 8:24am

Hi @shelli711 ,

I was diagnosed with TNBC Stage 3B five years ago - still here and going strong. Hugs to you.

My story is scattered about around here on the boards, I was 38 and had just had a baby, so my midwives first ordered an ultrasound and after 6 weeks I started treatment at UCLA. Probably pretty similar, 8 rounds of A/C , 12 of Taxol. We did a year of Keytruda sponsored by Merrick -- at that time it was still in trials for Stage 3 - then surgery, radiation, and Xeloda for a year, now lots of scans, which for blood work have been getting farther apart with time. (Labs were every 3 months, then four, now every 6, with mammo, MRI and CTs every year, too.)

Things I did that were helpful and strengthening - lots of walks when possible, fasting during chemo, vegan diet during treatment, and lots of scream crying at/with God during car rides back from treatments and appointments.

My husband and I also did a fair amount of crying and hugging together while the baby slept, and we each had individual therapists, as well as attending a Couples with Cancer zoom group monthly through City of Hope. (It is free to anyone and you don't have to get care at City of Hope).

Recovery was really long, especially after reconstruction, and I got a super rare side effect from the radiation we had to deal with. In some ways the two and three year marks were worse than the first year.

I regretted the Diep Flapp the first year after for a second round of lifting restrictions and more months of not being able to carry my son, but now that all the healing is done I am so happy to have a (mostly) familiar body to be in the world with.

Also, few people, even now and in my immediate family, seemed to know just how serious and complicated TNBC is, so helped dropped off after chemo, except for our few, treasured, friends who really stuck by us.

I hope this gives you lots of hope, and I am sure more people will chime in.

These boards are such a great resource, we are blessed to have this community.