Two for Chemotherapy, Both My Wife and I, Her with TNBC and Myself now with PCA Liver Mets

[Shorehousejam]

Today is Two for Chemotherapy

My wife discovered a lump in her breast in November2023, called for mammogram and they, Montefiore NY, made her wait to January 16th, of course she didn’t know TNBC grows at approximately 1% a day.

So, January 16th, they did Mammogram, MRI, Ultrasound and Biopsy. Terrific staff especially their Medical Oncologist who did a pet scan in a week and more scans. My wife has Triple Negative Breast Cancer Stage 2 without Lymph Node Involvement. Now, also at MSK, Terrific Staff, Her blood counts are low so today she has Labs, a Blood Transfusion and Double Chemotherapy. She has already mastered the wig issue, you would never know.

So today I start my first Double Chemotherapy.

Prep Meds, Claritin, Nulesta, a Box thingy self injection on Upper Arm.

Together 25 years and wishing for more…

Praying for the Best Outcome for the Both of Us.

[SuppWife]

I’ve been following your posts recently and I’m so sorry for what you and your wife are going through. Praying for you both. I appreciate your frustration with your journey and guidance you e received. It’s so hard when it feels like you have to guide your own care without a medical degree.

Best wishes to you both today❤️🙏🏻

[Shorehousejam in reply to SuppWife]

We are praying for you both, in hopes your husband receives strength to keep pushing through, onward and upward.

[SuppWife in reply to Shorehousejam]

Thank you. I deleted most of what I wrote bc I didn't intend to hi-jack your post. Thank you and back at you both. Hopefully we'll all get through these challenges.

[Shorehousejam in reply to SuppWife]

I wish people would share their experiences and stories, for myself and wife, it helps, to not feel like we are in these battles alone….

[SuppWife in reply to Shorehousejam]

I agree with you.

I'll repost what I deleted it in this reply...

We got back from seeing Dr. Sartor at Mayo on March 14th. My husband was due to start chemo on March 18th, but instead he had a stroke in the wee hours of the morning on March 17th. He recovered fully, walked out of the hospital on March 20th, then we were back four hours later with a pseudo aneurysm at the thrombectomy site. Lots of ”this never happens!” then two procedures to fix it, including surgery. Recovered from this, too, but fate wasn't finished.

Very long story short, nearly two months hospitalized and several strokes and surgeries later my husband was discharged two days ago to a long term acute care hospital and hopefully will eventually be able to get to rehab. This wasn’t part of our plan. Neither of us has spent a night at home since March 17th. He’s my best friend and I haven’t heard his voice for two weeks. July will be our 42nd wedding anniversary. We’ve been together most of our lives. I’m 61, he’s 71. We share a birthday and "celebrated" while in ICU.

I keep telling him to hang in there so we can tell his story and be advocates for others.

I wish the best to all of us out there dealing with difficult challenges.

Feel free to message me privately, too, you and/or your wife. ❤️

[Shorehousejam in reply to SuppWife]

Unbelievable the journey you both have had, I’m glad you put it back up to share. The craziest things and health issues happen on all these meds.

[Splash1953 in reply to Shorehousejam]

Hi Shorehousejam, I was diagnosed with Prostate cancer in December 2017 and started treatment in January 2018. One year later in 2019 my wife was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Obviously we were devastated. We met with a cancer surgeon and Reconstructive Surgeon and scheduled the operation for her. The cancer surgeon ordered a pet scan which showed a spread to her Iliac bone. A biopsy confirmed it was breast cancer . The operations were canceled and she was sent to an Oncologist. The Oncologist put her on a drug called Ibrance . The Ibrance drug has caused her cancer to shrink and she has had no more spreading in the past five years . However the side effects are loss of hair and tiredness. She gets scans every four months. Like you I haven’t been so lucky and I have run through the gamut of treatments that work until they don’t. I became castration resistant in August 23, and started Chemo . I had 12 Chemo treatments so far with many more scheduled. My wife and I are high school sweethearts and we celebrated our 45 wedding anniversary last week. We have had a very close and supportive relationship prior to our cancer diagnosis but now we are even closer and our support and love for each other is now off the charts.

[Shorehousejam in reply to Splash1953]

I feel you, we are very close now, as we always have been. I heard about ibrance from my wife, she is constantly babbling on about trials, meds, research, arm chair physician, most of her Uncles were doctors ax her cousins. She left Nursing back in late 90’s to follow her mother in design.

Are you researching any other treatments? Parp inhibitors? Etc

Have you had Germline or Genomic testing done?

If you have mutations stay away from Lu 177, my wife thinks not enough research on mutations with that and may cause hyper or hypo progression

[DesertDaisy]

I'm sorry the two of you are going through so much. Praying that you both have great results 💚💚💚

[Shorehousejam in reply to DesertDaisy]

Thank you

[Tall_Allen]

Aargh! Not the kind of shared experience any couple would wish for! My prayers are with both of you.

[Shorehousejam in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thank you Tall Allen from the Both Of Us,.

My Wife just finished 9 out of 16 chemotherapy treatments, she had to get a Blood Infusion (All the Stress) plus caring for her mother, just turned 92, God Bless Her.

My Wife gets Pacitaxel every week and Carboplatin every two weeks, then Keytruda as well as A/C know as the red Devil for the last four treatments, then onto surgery and radiation. Another summer with no vacation, never an easy road…I had my Cabazitoxel and Carboplatin today and I have a Nulesta patch box thingy on my arm.

Praying for the Best…

[Shorehousejam]

Holy Cow, what an incredible journey, Thank You for sharing you and your wife’s plight. My wife’s friend, had breast cancer 12 years ago, 4 years ago got tongue cancer and fought hard, they could not get her into remission sadly she passed.

Thank God your wife responded, it’s up and onward now.

Those freaking Micro Mets, will certainly drive us both mad.

[RindaMan]

praying for best outcome for both of you!

[Shorehousejam in reply to RindaMan]

Thank you

[Tinuriel]

Praying for both of you this morning that you will be surrounded with caring people.

[Shorehousejam in reply to Tinuriel]

Thank you

[Hidden]

I pray for you both, for strength, wisdom, discernment and healing in Jesus name.

[Shorehousejam in reply to Hidden]

Thank you

[anonymoose2]

My X got a diagnosis of breast cancer about 2 years after my PC was diagnosed.

This left my son and daughter scratching their heads about their future regarding cancers. (In their 40’s)

We had a long talk about being proactive about future testing and mammograms.

They said why both of our parents? I will show them this thread and let them know it’s not that uncommon.

My daughter asked me what could of triggered the cancers and I said I’m not really sure but I’ve read that people who that are classified as obese have a higher rate of cancer more so with breast cancer.

So as a father I said keep fit and keep out of the classification of obese.

In this thread does this mean anything of being obese as a precursor to cancer that you can relate to? Are you both considered obese or the past of being obese?

I don’t want to give my children wrong information.

Thank you!

[Shorehousejam in reply to anonymoose2]

Thank you

[Shorehousejam in reply to anonymoose2]

My wife found obesity, possibly treatment with levothyroxine May add to TNBC which feeds off fat and that medication.

She took Armour Thyroid for 12 years, primary gave her a hard time put on levothyroxine 4 years ago, she gained 40ibs. 4’11 and got to 196lbs frustrated.

Once diagnosed, she refused it and got back on Armour Thyroid with MSK dropped 30 ilbs on 45 days

[Neathuh1]

More prayers coming your way!

[Shorehousejam in reply to Neathuh1]

Thank you

[nacinla]

I want to join the chorus of those wishing you and your wife well. You both are not alone. And I want to thank you for reminding me of something I did after I received my diagnosis, something I usually don't do because I try to solve things on my own: I reached out, casting a wide net to friends for advice. And that's how I met Tall Allen and the LA prostate cancer group, made friends, and received support that helped me get through. You've opened the door for others to share on this site. We are all grateful. Prayers for you and your wife on your journey!

[Shorehousejam in reply to nacinla]

Prayers for you and yours. I agree a support system is best to have in our corner

[Ztlf]

Praying for you both! So sorry you are going through this. May you enjoy may more years together!

[Shorehousejam in reply to Ztlf]

Prayer for that and a positive treatment response

[j-o-h-n]

I'm at a lost for words except start saving now for that "50 years together" gift. Those next 25 years will fly by. Keep the faith and Bless your wife for her devotion to her dear Mother and -

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

[Shorehousejam in reply to j-o-h-n]

Thank You John, After 4 hours of transfusion she had yesterday, labs, she has a port installed, yup put in under her skin and jugular for two hours under local injected anesthesia while I was at work in January 2024. Arrived home with blood in her hair, you couldn’t make it up…anyway yesterday she had labs, an hour of prep meds Benadryl, anti nausea etc, as well as I, then she had an hour of Pacitaxel, an hour of Carboplatin , more labs and an hour blood transfusion of the thickest blood I’ve ever seen…Today, she made a 5 course Mother’s Day meal for the whole family, a nice roast with the fixings…She’s a wolf, lion, night stand physician and a kitty rolled into one…Tuffy Softy…I’m One Lucky Guy…

[j-o-h-n in reply to Shorehousejam]

I sent your latest post to our Human Resources dept. and their response was "Senior management recommends that you keep her"..... I do too.......

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

[Shorehousejam in reply to j-o-h-n]

Always & Forever…Tomorrow we will run a little faster…Thank You John