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“This guy right here has supported me like no other, from sleepless ER nights and dealing with my health to cheering me on at my races,” Musi said in an Instagram post.
“Just beautiful to see you happy and have that special someone who’s by your side through thick and thin,” Instagram user Tina Ferrell Blankenship commented.
Jeffrey Earnhardt, 34, is the grandson of the legendary NASCAR racing driver Dale Earnhardt. He and Musi began their relationship in late 2023 after Musi split from her Kye Kelley. Sometimes, a cancer diagnosis can strengthen a relationship. Psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin recommends cancer patients surround themselves with people who care for and support them throughout treatment while also acknowledging their limits on what they can handle.
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Supporting a Spouse or Partner During Cancer
A life-altering diagnosis can impact the patient and their loved ones emotionally and physically.
ResearchpublishedinThe Journal of the Royal Society of Medicinestudied the impact of a cancer diagnosis or disease on family members. It found, “Most chronic diseases have similar effects on family members including psychological and emotional functioning, disruption of leisure activities, effect on interpersonal relationships, and financial resources.”
Feelings of “helplessness, lack of control, guilt, anger, embarrassment” are some common emotions parents, siblings, and other relatives within the household of someone battling a health condition may experience, according to researchers.
MacMillan Cancer Support, a charity that advocates for cancer patients, says communication is a vital tool in helping support a partner with cancer, and it could help a couple understand each other better.
“It can help to ask your partner what support they would like and find useful. This makes sure you help where it is most wanted and needed. It can also help you avoid misunderstandings,” the charitysaid.
Communicating your feelings is something licensed clinical psychologistDr. Marianna Stronginalso believes is vital to helping couples dealing with a cancer diagnosis.
She adds that people faced with cancer should “surround [themselves] with individuals who care and support [them]” throughout treatment while also acknowledging their limits on what they can handle.
“Going through [cancer] treatment is a very vulnerable and emotionally exhausting experience,” Dr. Strongin wrote inacolumnfor SurvivorNet. “Noticing what you have strength for and what is feeling like too much [is] extremely important to pay attention to as you navigate treatment.”
Musi’s Cancer Journey
Musi was a regular on the Discovery Channel reality TV show “Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings.” The show showcases the world of street racing.
Last Spring, she revealed to fans that she was diagnosed with triple-negative stage 4 breast cancer. Stage 4 or metastatic breast cancer means the cancer has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body.
Triple-negative is an aggressive form of cancer and is considered among the hardest types of breast cancer to treat, according to SurvivorNet experts. However, good treatment options still exist for women impacted. The main treatments are chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and participation in clinical trials.
A woman diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer means the outside of her cancer cells doesn’t have the receptors that are commonly found in breast cancer. These are estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors.
Chemotherapy is the most important way triple-negative breast cancer is treated.
WATCH: Treatment options for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.
Since her diagnosis, Musi has been documenting her cancer journey on social media and showing her followers what it looks like to battle cancer.
One of her most emotional moments early in her journey came about when she decided to cut her hair amid chemotherapy. At the time, she said cutting her hair made her feel unlike herself.
Many cancer warriors undergoing chemotherapy experience this emotional moment of hair loss. During chemotherapy, hair loss usually begins about three to four weeks after treatment begins.
Fortunately, hair loss is usually temporary.
For women battling triple-negative breast cancer like Musi, in addition to chemotherapy, immunotherapy has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be a treatment option. Immunotherapy drugs use the body’s own immune system to target cancer cells. In studies, this new therapy has been shown to extend the lives of women with this type of cancer.
While Musi hasn’t provided many intimate details regarding her journey in recent months, she has returned to racing again.
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Kavontae Smalls is a writer and reporter for SurvivorNet. Read More
