Stage 4, Triple negative - My cancer fight
Donation protected
Where to start because this has been a journey. I'm Nicola, 38. A wife to Jon and Mother to our beautiful daughter Ella (15). I am a daughter, a sister, an auntie and friend to so many. On 6th October 2017, I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer with node involvement, stage 3 Grade 3 which is aggressive. How could this be I kept asking myself, I was only 36, no family history, relatively fit & healthy, also may I add I was a marathon runner at the time of diagnosis. Anyone who has been diagnosed with this will know that triple negative is aggressive and fast growing, it also has a high recurrence within the first five years, and a high chance of spreading to other organs. Treatment options are limited to chemo, surgery & radiotherapy. Triple negative means that it does not carry any hormone receptors and for that reason we can not benefit from extra treatment like tamoxifen or herceptin. Since diagnosis I have undergone sentinal node biopsy, CT and MRI scans, 16 neo-adjuvant chemotherapy along with the horrible steroids that don't allow you to sleep very much, a single mastectomy and axillary node clearance. However after surgery the pathological report showed that although the chemo shrunk the main tumor there was still residual cancerous cells within the tumor and 1 lymph node. I was then prescribed Capecitibine, an adjuvant chemo tablet to eliminate any rogue cells followed by radiotherapy. However during my radiotherapy, I found a lump just above the mastectomy scar, thinking it would be scar tissue. After an ultrasound and biopsy, it wasn't to be. Sadly it was confirmed as cancerous cells, it is back triple negative again. I underwent further surgery on Tues 18th December to remove the lump but sadly again I haven't received clear margins and possibly residual cells are still there. As of march 2019 I am now apparently stage 4 Her2. My current plan is Docetaxal chemotherapy every 3 weeks for six cycles followed by herceptin and pertuzumab every 3 weeks for life. I have come to terms that cancer is now my life, treatment will be my life until is doesn't work anymore. Anyone diagnosed with cancer, will know its a constant battle daily, emotionally, physically and financially. We all want a cure and we all want to hear that it's going to be okay and there is no evidence of disease, but this doesn't always happen. I am hoping to raise some funds to help go towards alternative treatment/ supplements to work alongside the chemotherapy and to also make memories with my daughter and husband for as long as I can, so please have it in your heart, even a pound will make a difference. I will do anything I can to watch my daughter grow into the beautiful young lady that I know she will be, I want to be there for her Prom, her GCSE results, University graduation if this is what she wants. My daughter and my husband are my entire life and it kills me everyday to think that this disease is taking me away from them. When your daughter asks how long you have, it breaks my heart, So please please help me to raise as much as possible to help me continue my battle
Organizer
Nicola Morgan-Dingley
Organizer
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