Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor
Inner Wonder Woman Helps Survivor Beat TNBC
When Kristen found a suspicious bump in her armpit, she knew something was wrong. Testing determined it was triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Devastated by the diagnosis, she faced treatment with strength and a positive attitude. She channeled her inner Wonder Woman to gain a psychological boost as she powered through treatment.
Just days after my 40th birthday, I noticed a little ball the size of a blueberry in my armpit while taking a shower. Oddly, I had just been to my gynecologist for my annual checkup and she didn’t feel it during the breast exam. We also didn’t do a mammogram since I wasn’t officially 40 yet and was not high risk. Scans were ordered but did not show a primary tumor in my breast. However, they determined the bump in my armpit was a swollen lymph node. A biopsy of a piece of the node determined it was cancer, but we were uncertain which type of cancer.
I was at work when I got the call. I couldn’t believe it. It was like time stood still. When I told my husband, we cried and hugged. After the tears dried, I became determined to fight. I decided to choose how I approached the diagnosis because cancer does not define who I am or how I go through life. I chose to focus on fighting the cancer but staying positive. I joked with my husband that I was going to shoot sunshine out of my butt while doing it.
Because more information was needed for diagnosis, I had the lymph node with the cancer removed for molecular testing. It confirmed it was triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). When I learned TNBC has a high chance of recurrence, I struggled. I made the mistake of looking up TNBC on the Internet. The night I read that information was my worst night. I sat in my bedroom with the lights off and cried. My husband found me and told me I had to get it together. The kids needed my help, they were in first and fourth grades at the time. I told him I needed 15 more minutes to feel sad. I took that time. I felt sad. Then I got mad. I wasn’t going to let cancer choose for me. I chose to fight.
When we told the kids, we tried to make it less scary. When my hair started falling out, they helped shave my head. The kids videoed the whole thing and my daughter narrated each part of the shaving process. We laughed, and it gave them a chance to participate in the process.
My treatment plan included combination drug therapy for four sessions followed by 12 sessions of a single chemotherapy.
During treatment, I focused on my mental health. I listened to songs that motivated me and kept me going. I also found my inner superhero, Wonder Woman. My friends and family bought me anything with her image: T-shirts, socks, chemo caps, etc. I would wear my Wonder Woman apparel to chemotherapy sessions to remind me that I was in fighting mode.
After the drug therapy was finished, I elected to have surgery to remove three additional lymph nodes. No other nodes showed any type of cancer; it had not spread to other lymph nodes.
My doctor asked if I wanted to remove my breasts when he removed my lymph nodes. This was a hard decision, but I elected not to do it. The cancer was never found in my breast, I had no genetic markers for breast cancer, and multiple medical opinions discouraged it. I also wanted to still be able to have mammograms in the future to catch any possible recurrence. A mastectomy was not the right decision for me.
The next step of my treatment plan included 28 sessions of radiation therapy to the right breast and lymph nodes. My ongoing plan includes seeing a cardiologist annually because the various medications I received can cause damage to my heart. I developed osteoporosis as a result of treatment and am taking injections to prevent bone loss and strengthen my bones.
I was extremely blessed to have the support and encouragement of my family, friends and coworkers. I felt that I needed to pay that support forward to help others. My nurse navigator mentioned Friend For Life Cancer Support Network, a non-profit that provides one-to-one emotional and psychosocial support to others facing a similar cancer diagnosis. I initially sought support. Later, I joined as a volunteer helping others navigate a journey similar to mine. I am now a part of the board.
One of the hardest things with “life after cancer” is worrying that every pain I feel is a sign that the cancer is coming back. My advice — do not rehearse your unhappiness. Don’t waste your time worrying about the “what ifs.” Choose to focus on the positive. Feel all of your feelings and don’t bottle them up. Ask for help and find people to connect with who understand what you are going through. And, tapping into your inner superhero doesn’t hurt either.
