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Wife Beat Breast Cancer and Now Beating Brain Cancer (1 Viewer)

Thinking of you brother. Don’t know if you remember me telling you that my SIL went the double mastectomy route. An aggressive choice for her situation, but it was what she wanted to do for obvious (to me) reasons. She had the reconstruction and even “kept” a very distinctive birthmark on one breast As well as her nipples. She’s been cancer Free for 10? Years now.
 
Keerock said:
T&P GB... my wife had partial mastectomys (lumpectomy and partial on the other side to make it match). She's 5+ years cancer free. The drugs she'll be on can mess with her hormones somewhat, but they can regulate that. I know every case is different, but there is hope as our sex life is the same as beforehand. Hang in there Chad...
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My wife's cancer was negative for being hormonal so she will not have that therapy. After recovery from surgery, she will begin radiation. After that there will be more infusions but the specifics of it will be determined by the results of all the tests from surgery.
 
My wife asked me to go get a $100 gift card for the grocery store earlier this week. I looked at her like she was crazy and was like why? Things are tight right now for us. There was another family at our school that was going through a sickness. I did see the email for the meal tree but I have been pretty pre-occupied so I didn't really know of anything. She told me that the mother was in hospice due to cancer. Because of us going through this, I think it was a no brainer, "yea, of course." and I went and got it. Today, we got an email that she has passed.

The family has three kids. A 1st grader, K and pre-K. The 1st grader is my son's class.

I am heart broken. I did not know her. I never met her. But this hits so close to home in several ways. My wife's battle, having three small children, being at the same school and this father is living my darkest fears of when my wife first said "it looks like cancer."

Things have progressed well for us. She is moving ahead after chemo which looks to have went as well as could be expected.... surgery went well and she is healing.... pathology results were exactly what we wanted.... there is more of a road to go down but things are breaking our way. How lucky we are. How bad do I feel for feeling lucky. How I feel helpless to help this other family.

A stark reminder that even though this is a 'hard time' for our family... it can always be worse. And thank God it isn't.

Love your loved ones. Cherish it. We are all here a moment and gone. Grab that moment and live it. Live it with your loved ones. Don't take it for granted.
 
Wife went back to work Monday after healing from surgery. Had fusion treatment (no chemo) again last week and then her first radiation treatment today. Her description of the radiation treatment was basically 2 hours of not fun stuff BUT in comparison to chemo and the surgery, cake walk. I think there is 6 months of all that to go?

Her hair is coming back. She is noticeably feeling better. Things are getting more 'normal'.
 
Just because I haven't updated much for a few months and I know there are a couple of people wanting updates...

I haven't updated because there really isn't anything new. Her hair has grown back enough where she is trying to figure out how to make it look good enough for her to stop wearing the shawl head wrap things but then also she wants to let it grow long too... kind of an awkward time for hair length right now.

Continued radiation treatments every weekday and then weekly fusion treatments. She has some minor side effects like being tired or digestive type issues and her skin around her chest and back is like kind of sun burn so I can't touch her but for the most part pretty close to being 'normal'. Comparatively from when going through chemo and recovery from surgery this is a breeze for her.

So all good.
 
F cancer.

Just saw a friend of mine from high school has breast cancer going through her second chemo treatment. I sent her a private message to encourage her... used my wifes experience as a way to try to encourage her along.

Cancer just sucks.
 
Chadstroma said:
F cancer.

Just saw a friend of mine from high school has breast cancer going through her second chemo treatment. I sent her a private message to encourage her... used my wifes experience as a way to try to encourage her along.

Cancer just sucks.
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She responded and we corresponded a bit.

She has basically the same exact scenario as my wife. Stage 3, Grade 3 HER2 positive left breast. (my wife was the same except stage 2, they were not sure but later confirmed that there was no spread to the lymph nodes while my friends has spread to the lymph nodes). I hope my wife's experience that I shared gives her some encouragement.
 
SoBeDad said:
How is your wife's appetite and her sense of taste?
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Appetite is basically 'normal' for her. One of the main side effects she still has is digestive related so it is not so much about her wanting to eat but how it will be after she eats.

I haven't asked her about her taste buds for a while but I think that has normalized. She still has a little bit of neuropathy (not sure if I am spelling that right) but the numbness and tingling in her fingers but that has improved greatly from when she was going through chemo.
 
Chadstroma said:
SoBeDad said:
How is your wife's appetite and her sense of taste?
Click to expand...
Appetite is basically 'normal' for her. One of the main side effects she still has is digestive related so it is not so much about her wanting to eat but how it will be after she eats.

I haven't asked her about her taste buds for a while but I think that has normalized. She still has a little bit of neuropathy (not sure if I am spelling that right) but the numbness and tingling in her fingers but that has improved greatly from when she was going through chemo.
Click to expand...
If she has taste issues, I was going to recommend a miracle fruit product. Miracle fruit is a small berry that when eaten makes sour foods taste sweet. It's being used by some cancer patients.

www.miraclefruitfarm.com

Miracle Fruit Farm, LLC- Fresh Miracle Berries & More - Miami, FL

Miracle Fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum) has a unique glycoprotein that masks the metallic flavor chemo patients experience when eating. They are also beneficial to diabetics and dieters by providing a natural alternative to sugar.
www.miraclefruitfarm.com www.miraclefruitfarm.com
 
SoBeDad said:
Chadstroma said:
SoBeDad said:
How is your wife's appetite and her sense of taste?
Click to expand...
Appetite is basically 'normal' for her. One of the main side effects she still has is digestive related so it is not so much about her wanting to eat but how it will be after she eats.

I haven't asked her about her taste buds for a while but I think that has normalized. She still has a little bit of neuropathy (not sure if I am spelling that right) but the numbness and tingling in her fingers but that has improved greatly from when she was going through chemo.
Click to expand...
If she has taste issues, I was going to recommend a miracle fruit product. Miracle fruit is a small berry that when eaten makes sour foods taste sweet. It's being used by some cancer patients.

www.miraclefruitfarm.com

Miracle Fruit Farm, LLC- Fresh Miracle Berries & More - Miami, FL

Miracle Fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum) has a unique glycoprotein that masks the metallic flavor chemo patients experience when eating. They are also beneficial to diabetics and dieters by providing a natural alternative to sugar.
www.miraclefruitfarm.com www.miraclefruitfarm.com
Click to expand...
I will double check with her to see if she is still having trouble and if so we will give these a try. Thanks
 
Chadstroma said:
Just because I haven't updated much for a few months and I know there are a couple of people wanting updates...

I haven't updated because there really isn't anything new. Her hair has grown back enough where she is trying to figure out how to make it look good enough for her to stop wearing the shawl head wrap things but then also she wants to let it grow long too... kind of an awkward time for hair length right now.

Continued radiation treatments every weekday and then weekly fusion treatments. She has some minor side effects like being tired or digestive type issues and her skin around her chest and back is like kind of sun burn so I can't touch her but for the most part pretty close to being 'normal'. Comparatively from when going through chemo and recovery from surgery this is a breeze for her.

So all good.
Click to expand...

great to hear brother
 
Things have been going very well... until this weekend when she wasn't feeling well. She mowed the lawn before I got home to do it and she thought she over did it. Made an appointment for today on Monday when she wasn't feeling better.

The surgeon didn't like what she saw and consulted with the pastic surgeon and was told we needed to take her to the hospital where the plastic surgeon was.

Confirmed she has an infection and it is bad enough that they will do surgery. Either today or tomorrow.

All goes well, then there is another 4-6 week recovery period.
 
The hospital we are at is basically in the middle of one of the rougher areas of Chicago. We normally would never be here but her plastic surgeon was here, so we needed to come here vs the hospital by us where we have been all before.

We were sent to the ER because they didn't have a bed yet and wanted to begin antibiotics.

I have been waiting in a waiting area across the street from the actual ER waiting room because you are not allowed to wait with anyone there for 3 and a half hours as she hasn't even got into the ER yet.

The ER entry has metal detectors and 5 armed guards. There are also two police officers sitting in two seperate police vehicles stationed right outside.

Fun.
 
That hospital sounds like the place where my mother's doctors work out of. We were there a couple weeks ago as my mom was having issues with dizziness. Mom is OK now...the issues turned out to be related to her A-fib. However, while we were in the ER two shooting victims were brought in. One was a pregnant woman. The place was absolutely a mad house with medical staff running around and the chaos of trying to save these victims...trying to arrange life flights that never materialized in time...trying to summon a neonatal intensive care unit as the ER doc tried to deliver the baby prematurely...police locking down the hospital... It was a surreal experience watching it all unfold in front of me...I real eye opening experience. But even under normal operation, the place is similar to the one you describe with all of the extra security regularly on duty.

I hope your experience is a peaceful one...
 
Chadstroma said:
The hospital we are at is basically in the middle of one of the rougher areas of Chicago. We normally would never be here but her plastic surgeon was here, so we needed to come here vs the hospital by us where we have been all before.

We were sent to the ER because they didn't have a bed yet and wanted to begin antibiotics.

I have been waiting in a waiting area across the street from the actual ER waiting room because you are not allowed to wait with anyone there for 3 and a half hours as she hasn't even got into the ER yet.

The ER entry has metal detectors and 5 armed guards. There are also two police officers sitting in two seperate police vehicles stationed right outside.

Fun.
Click to expand...
Sounds like the south side of Chicago. Kind of like the Combat Zone used to be in NYC.
 
Mrs. Rannous said:
Chadstroma said:
The hospital we are at is basically in the middle of one of the rougher areas of Chicago. We normally would never be here but her plastic surgeon was here, so we needed to come here vs the hospital by us where we have been all before.

We were sent to the ER because they didn't have a bed yet and wanted to begin antibiotics.

I have been waiting in a waiting area across the street from the actual ER waiting room because you are not allowed to wait with anyone there for 3 and a half hours as she hasn't even got into the ER yet.

The ER entry has metal detectors and 5 armed guards. There are also two police officers sitting in two seperate police vehicles stationed right outside.

Fun.
Click to expand...
Sounds like the south side of Chicago. Kind of like the Combat Zone used to be in NYC.
Click to expand...
It is. UofC, which is one of the few southside hospitals still in operation. One closed, another mostly has closed. So seems like they are very busy here.
 
Chadstroma said:
Mrs. Rannous said:
Chadstroma said:
The hospital we are at is basically in the middle of one of the rougher areas of Chicago. We normally would never be here but her plastic surgeon was here, so we needed to come here vs the hospital by us where we have been all before.

We were sent to the ER because they didn't have a bed yet and wanted to begin antibiotics.

I have been waiting in a waiting area across the street from the actual ER waiting room because you are not allowed to wait with anyone there for 3 and a half hours as she hasn't even got into the ER yet.

The ER entry has metal detectors and 5 armed guards. There are also two police officers sitting in two seperate police vehicles stationed right outside.

Fun.
Click to expand...
Sounds like the south side of Chicago. Kind of like the Combat Zone used to be in NYC.
Click to expand...
It is. UofC, which is one of the few southside hospitals still in operation. One closed, another mostly has closed. So seems like they are very busy here.
Click to expand...
I was born in South Chicago Hospital. That closed years ago. Can't imagine why.
 
If I’m reading ths correctly, its not cancer related? But an infection in the reconstruction area? regardless f cancer and I’m thinking of ya bud! And as always, your wife’s bazoombas! ❤️
 
A good news update.

We may avoid surgery.

The antibiotics they have given her (one of the strongest) has worked better than hoped so the Doctors said they want to hold off and see how it does. She is going to be at the Hospital until at least tomorrow as they monitor it and see how it goes.

That is huge. Beyond the risk of complications with any surgery, the recovery process sucks on these and is a rough 4-6 weeks. So, if the meds work and no surgery is needed that will be tremendous. It is also good as it may disrupt the cancer meds she gets.

We are coming up on a full year of her battling this.

and yes, @DA RAIDERS it is not cancer related issues but an infection of the expander after the cancer surgery.
 
Good luck man. It’s a marathon. A life long marathon. Keep up the fight.

(My wife and mo. have both passed their 2nd yr anniversary of the initial diagnosis. So far things are good. It’s life changing)


Does it help to know that we all are thinking of them?
 
Chadstroma said:
Sitting with my wife on her last infusion treatment!!!!

:pickle: :towelwave::pickle::excited::clap::yes::headbang::D:thanks:

Her hair has been growing back and she kinda has a flapper look going on which is sexy (not really a short hair kinda guy)

She is feeling good. Next (last?) Milestone will be the reconstruction surgery in May/June.
Click to expand...
Love seeing great news when threads like this get bumped!!
 
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