What happened, in summary

Nancy’s story is told by her husband, Brian. The two were high school sweethearts who reunited after 14 years apart and married in 1992. Their life changed on May 26, 2017, when numbness in Nancy’s arm and hand did not go away. She had experienced the symptoms intermittently for several months and had assumed she had slept on the arm incorrectly.

Brian took her to urgent care, where a CT scan raised concern for breast cancer that had spread to the bones. A biopsy a few days later confirmed invasive lobular carcinoma and bone metastases. Nancy’s cancer was stage 4 from the beginning, also called de novo metastatic breast cancer.

Brian’s account centers on becoming her caregiver and learning how to listen, offer practical support and avoid adding stress. Nancy turned her experience into advocacy, joining the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance’s Patient Advocate Advisory Board. Brian joined her in attending retreats, conferences and educational programs, including an international lobular breast cancer symposium in the Netherlands.

At the time of the story, Nancy was living with metastatic disease. She and Brian chose to keep traveling, learning and supporting others while following the reminder, “Don’t postpone joy.”