Straight Outta Chemo

My name is Tina. I was diagnosed with Triple Negative BC 6/4/25. I felt nervous but optimistic in my care team until I realized they weren’t reacting with the urgency my type of cancer needed (any cancer). To the point I wasn’t scheduled to meet my Oncologist for SIX weeks, no tests were ordered and no date for chemo. The silence was deafening, I began to panic and felt like no one cared. Reading more about my diagnosis I knew I had to advocate for myself. I called the hospital regularly trying to move my dates. Explaining how scared I was that my cancer might spread while I’m waiting. I was told repeatedly that my cancer wasn’t that aggressive and that I should stay off of the internet…I began looking for a cancer center that wasn’t too far from my home. I ended up at UVA in Charlottesville, Virginia. I had my first appt 8/1 and my first infusion a couple weeks later. My husband and I temporarily relocated to Charlottesville to be close to my team. Unfortunately, by that time I had a suspicious lung scan but the nodules were too small to biopsy so we proceeded as if they were nothing to worry about but would keep an eye on them.

Treatment was tolerable and I stayed positive. I read books, meditated and puzzled. By late December I was through the worst of it or so I thought. We drove home to have a quiet Xmas with our children. Each week I regained my strength and energy. My hair began growing in DARK and fluffy.

1/26/25 we packed up the car to drive back. This time for a bilateral mastectomy, full lymph node dissection and a lymph bypass. After a 9 hour surgery I felt many emotions – relieved treatment was over, happy that all my margins looked good. I was slowly healing and would begin 6 weeks of radiation before going back home to start living my new normal…

2/13/25 I had my postop appts with my surgeons. My first appt of the day was a lung CT. I was optimistic, feeling positive about my scan and meeting everyone. In the exam room my husband said “honey, your result are up on MyChart”. He’s reading the results and I hear “shows signs of metastatic disease”… I began crying uncontrollably and that’s how each appointment went, crying, consoling and more crying. I don’t remember anything except “It’s a lifelong manageable disease” while having just read on my phone the life expectancy is 12-18 months.

3/16/25 I requested a brain MRI as I was seeing visual distortion. I was seen quickly and a large tumor was found. My Oncologist got me in quickly it was surgically removed.

Today I’m feeling wonderful. I have treatment close to my home and we drive to UVA for scans and appts. Thanks to UVA, and my supportive family and friends I will continue to be a TNBC thriver!!!

TNBC has the worst prognosis and the fastest metastasis but the least research. There needs to be focus on this deadly form of BC. I am dedicated to helping women feel safe advocating for themselves and navigating life with their TNBC diagnosis. We are more than Ca