- L
My name is Jennnifer but you can call me Jenn, I am 33 years old, a wife and mother of two. Thank you for taking the time to read my story.
It all started on March 22, 2019, a day that changed my life forever.
I got the call that no one wants to receive. I was diagnosed with stage 2a triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive type of breast cancer that only 10-15% of people diagnosed with breast cancer have. This type of breast cancer isn’t hormone-positive so, doctors don’t know what is making it grow - which limits the types of treatment options available to me.
I began chemotherapy on April 26, 2019, and completed 4 rounds of A/C chemotherapy followed by 12 weekly chemotherapies of Taxol. I got very sick and weak throughout treatment and lost all my hair. This was very difficult for me and my family. During Taxol chemotherapy, I felt my breast lump growing larger... I asked my oncologist for an ultrasound to measure it and the Oncologist at the time didn’t seem very concerned, She said that she wanted me to complete Taxol first. I knew the cancer was still alive and I could feel it growing.
On September 6, 2019, I completed 5 long months of chemotherapy and got to ring the bell signifying that I have completed treatment.
My next step was a double mastectomy to remove the cancer from my breast.
I got an ultrasound after completing chemotherapy to confirm that the cancer was still alive and growing. They weren’t able to schedule me for the double mastectomy until 6 weeks after completing chemotherapy. Meanwhile, I felt the lump growing larger while waiting for my surgery date.
Surgery day came and I had my double mastectomy on October 24, 2019. A week later my pathology report came back saying that 60% of my cancer was still alive at the time removed. My breast surgeon was able to get clear margins when the cancer was removed, but because of the size of the tumor, I was recommended to have radiation to my breast and chest wall to try to prevent a localized reoccurrence. I tried to do everything possible to prevent this aggressive breast cancer from coming back!
After weeks of healing from my double mastectomy, I began with radiation in mid-December. I went daily Monday-Friday for 6 weeks. That was rough for me, I am very fair-skinned, so I had burns and oozing open wounds.
After completing radiation at the end of January I had scans (CT of the chest, pelvic, and abdomen) and a bone scan. The CT scan showed a few lung nodules. My oncologist said we would watch them that they could be from radiation.
Meanwhile, a lump on my skin started to form exactly where the breast cancer was. I brought it up to my oncologist, my breast surgeon, and my plastic surgeon - they all thought it could just be a stitch or scar tissue and they would just watch it for changes.
In February 2020 I began on a chemotherapy pill called Xeloda for residual cancer that was still alive when removed at surgery. I had 6 cycles, completed my last cycle in June 2020. I was so happy to be finally finished with all cancer treatments and be able to find my new normal - life after cancer.
At the end of June, my plastic surgeon sent me to my breast surgeon to get a biopsy done of the lump on my breast (the one that was thought to be a stitch or scar tissue). It came back saying it wasn’t cancer that it was just scar tissue. Shortly after it was biopsied another lump began to form directly under it and the skin started to change around it.
July 2020 - I had a follow-up CT scan to check on the lung nodules ... the scan came back that the nodules have tripled in size and more nodules appeared suggesting metastatic disease. My oncologist ordered a biopsy of my lung to confirm.
On July 20, 2020, I got the confirmation I have stage 4 metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) with Mets to my lungs.
If you google - you will know this is not good and survival rates are not great (prognosis is scary). I have really been struggling with this diagnosis. I will be in chemotherapy treatments for the rest of my life...
In September I began chemotherapy called Carboplatin, I completed 3 rounds before scanning to show that it wasn’t working and my cancer in my lungs was still growing larger and making me more out of breath. I had a follow-up with my plastic surgeon that suggested we remove the breast lumps at the end of Carboplatin before starting new chemotherapy because she thought they were cancerous as well.
November 17, 2020, my plastic surgeon removed the breast lumps - only to confirm they were a reoccurrence of triple-negative breast cancer (exactly what I had thought). She removed a lot of cancer she had told me during a follow-up visit.
Side note - my oncologist that I was with since the beginning kept making me feel like my cancer was just too advanced for her and the last thing she said was I need to be open and start looking at phase 1 trials because my cancer is very chemo resistant. She made me feel like she had given up and I knew I had to find a more knowledgeable oncologist, one that had more experience in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.
I found my new oncologist at the beginning of December 2020! Which was perfect timing while I had been out of chemotherapy since October 27th. My new oncologist repeated all my prior scans (CT of the chest, pelvic and abdomen, bone scan, and brain MRI). Brain MRI because I’ve been having weird vision floater issues. My new chemotherapy regimen was set to begin December 30, 2020, with a new chemotherapy called Eribulin.
December 23rd, 2020, a few days before Christmas I got a call from my new oncologist saying that the brain MRI came back showing that I had two small 3mm lesions in my brain. She immediately suggested cyberknife treatment on my off week of my new chemotherapy. By the time she had given me a call, she had already reached out to the radiation oncologist and went over my case. I was happy to know I finally have an oncologist fighting for me and on top of things fast - exactly what I need.
As I’m writing this, I just completed my first cycle (2 weeks chemotherapy and 1 week off) of Eribulin. No major side effects at the moment - just tired, headache, still very out of breath. I am due to start my cyberknife treatment for my Brain Mets this week sometime.
This is my story so far - and it’s not nearly done! I have a lot of fighting left in me!
I am asking for help - we have a lot of bills, medical bills, treatments, traveling for treatments, time off of work for my husband so that he can be there to support me and take me to and from my many appointments. I am not able to work full-time as I used to and it’s only getting more and more difficult financially for me and my family.
I would love to be able to spend more time at home with my family instead of having to worry about the financial burdens that come with being a stage 4 cancer patient. Any help that you can provide will help me and my family as we get through this very difficult time and would be greatly appreciated.
Background:
I have had several rough years leading up to my diagnosis. In February of 2016, my father passed away after undergoing triple bypass heart surgery.
Then May of 2017 my grandma passed away in a house fire - she passed away at the age of 104.
In December 2018 is when I first felt the lump in my breast.
In 2019 is when treatments began. So, as you can see, it’s been a very difficult several years for me and my family.
Personality - in the words of my sister-in-law:
Do you know that one friend you can always count on being blunt? That’s Jenny. If she doesn’t like my outfit or thinks my hair looks dirty, she’ll be the first to point it out.
As a wife, Jenny is so understanding.
As a mom, Jenny is so dependable, loving, and cool. I’ve always looked up to the way she and my brother Xavier raise their children. They set rules, but don’t shelter their kids. They always give them everything they can. Most importantly, they share a relationship with their children.
Jenny doesn’t have any siblings or close extended family. She became a part of our family in 2006, and we have loved her every second since.
It all started on March 22, 2019, a day that changed my life forever.
I got the call that no one wants to receive. I was diagnosed with stage 2a triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive type of breast cancer that only 10-15% of people diagnosed with breast cancer have. This type of breast cancer isn’t hormone-positive so, doctors don’t know what is making it grow - which limits the types of treatment options available to me.
I began chemotherapy on April 26, 2019, and completed 4 rounds of A/C chemotherapy followed by 12 weekly chemotherapies of Taxol. I got very sick and weak throughout treatment and lost all my hair. This was very difficult for me and my family. During Taxol chemotherapy, I felt my breast lump growing larger... I asked my oncologist for an ultrasound to measure it and the Oncologist at the time didn’t seem very concerned, She said that she wanted me to complete Taxol first. I knew the cancer was still alive and I could feel it growing.
On September 6, 2019, I completed 5 long months of chemotherapy and got to ring the bell signifying that I have completed treatment.
My next step was a double mastectomy to remove the cancer from my breast.
I got an ultrasound after completing chemotherapy to confirm that the cancer was still alive and growing. They weren’t able to schedule me for the double mastectomy until 6 weeks after completing chemotherapy. Meanwhile, I felt the lump growing larger while waiting for my surgery date.
Surgery day came and I had my double mastectomy on October 24, 2019. A week later my pathology report came back saying that 60% of my cancer was still alive at the time removed. My breast surgeon was able to get clear margins when the cancer was removed, but because of the size of the tumor, I was recommended to have radiation to my breast and chest wall to try to prevent a localized reoccurrence. I tried to do everything possible to prevent this aggressive breast cancer from coming back!
After weeks of healing from my double mastectomy, I began with radiation in mid-December. I went daily Monday-Friday for 6 weeks. That was rough for me, I am very fair-skinned, so I had burns and oozing open wounds.
After completing radiation at the end of January I had scans (CT of the chest, pelvic, and abdomen) and a bone scan. The CT scan showed a few lung nodules. My oncologist said we would watch them that they could be from radiation.
Meanwhile, a lump on my skin started to form exactly where the breast cancer was. I brought it up to my oncologist, my breast surgeon, and my plastic surgeon - they all thought it could just be a stitch or scar tissue and they would just watch it for changes.
In February 2020 I began on a chemotherapy pill called Xeloda for residual cancer that was still alive when removed at surgery. I had 6 cycles, completed my last cycle in June 2020. I was so happy to be finally finished with all cancer treatments and be able to find my new normal - life after cancer.
At the end of June, my plastic surgeon sent me to my breast surgeon to get a biopsy done of the lump on my breast (the one that was thought to be a stitch or scar tissue). It came back saying it wasn’t cancer that it was just scar tissue. Shortly after it was biopsied another lump began to form directly under it and the skin started to change around it.
July 2020 - I had a follow-up CT scan to check on the lung nodules ... the scan came back that the nodules have tripled in size and more nodules appeared suggesting metastatic disease. My oncologist ordered a biopsy of my lung to confirm.
On July 20, 2020, I got the confirmation I have stage 4 metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) with Mets to my lungs.
If you google - you will know this is not good and survival rates are not great (prognosis is scary). I have really been struggling with this diagnosis. I will be in chemotherapy treatments for the rest of my life...
In September I began chemotherapy called Carboplatin, I completed 3 rounds before scanning to show that it wasn’t working and my cancer in my lungs was still growing larger and making me more out of breath. I had a follow-up with my plastic surgeon that suggested we remove the breast lumps at the end of Carboplatin before starting new chemotherapy because she thought they were cancerous as well.
November 17, 2020, my plastic surgeon removed the breast lumps - only to confirm they were a reoccurrence of triple-negative breast cancer (exactly what I had thought). She removed a lot of cancer she had told me during a follow-up visit.
Side note - my oncologist that I was with since the beginning kept making me feel like my cancer was just too advanced for her and the last thing she said was I need to be open and start looking at phase 1 trials because my cancer is very chemo resistant. She made me feel like she had given up and I knew I had to find a more knowledgeable oncologist, one that had more experience in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.
I found my new oncologist at the beginning of December 2020! Which was perfect timing while I had been out of chemotherapy since October 27th. My new oncologist repeated all my prior scans (CT of the chest, pelvic and abdomen, bone scan, and brain MRI). Brain MRI because I’ve been having weird vision floater issues. My new chemotherapy regimen was set to begin December 30, 2020, with a new chemotherapy called Eribulin.
December 23rd, 2020, a few days before Christmas I got a call from my new oncologist saying that the brain MRI came back showing that I had two small 3mm lesions in my brain. She immediately suggested cyberknife treatment on my off week of my new chemotherapy. By the time she had given me a call, she had already reached out to the radiation oncologist and went over my case. I was happy to know I finally have an oncologist fighting for me and on top of things fast - exactly what I need.
As I’m writing this, I just completed my first cycle (2 weeks chemotherapy and 1 week off) of Eribulin. No major side effects at the moment - just tired, headache, still very out of breath. I am due to start my cyberknife treatment for my Brain Mets this week sometime.
This is my story so far - and it’s not nearly done! I have a lot of fighting left in me!
I am asking for help - we have a lot of bills, medical bills, treatments, traveling for treatments, time off of work for my husband so that he can be there to support me and take me to and from my many appointments. I am not able to work full-time as I used to and it’s only getting more and more difficult financially for me and my family.
I would love to be able to spend more time at home with my family instead of having to worry about the financial burdens that come with being a stage 4 cancer patient. Any help that you can provide will help me and my family as we get through this very difficult time and would be greatly appreciated.
Background:
I have had several rough years leading up to my diagnosis. In February of 2016, my father passed away after undergoing triple bypass heart surgery.
Then May of 2017 my grandma passed away in a house fire - she passed away at the age of 104.
In December 2018 is when I first felt the lump in my breast.
In 2019 is when treatments began. So, as you can see, it’s been a very difficult several years for me and my family.
Personality - in the words of my sister-in-law:
Do you know that one friend you can always count on being blunt? That’s Jenny. If she doesn’t like my outfit or thinks my hair looks dirty, she’ll be the first to point it out.
As a wife, Jenny is so understanding.
As a mom, Jenny is so dependable, loving, and cool. I’ve always looked up to the way she and my brother Xavier raise their children. They set rules, but don’t shelter their kids. They always give them everything they can. Most importantly, they share a relationship with their children.
Jenny doesn’t have any siblings or close extended family. She became a part of our family in 2006, and we have loved her every second since.