Take our poll: Caregivers, what do you find most difficult about caregiving?
Weigh in: What are the best and worst gifts for people with breast cancer?

Success Stories!

1…910121415…54

Comments

  • carmelle
    carmelle Member Posts: 134
    edited August 2007

    keeping alive...

  • Harley44
    Harley44 Member Posts: 2,126
    edited September 2007

    Let's see... I don't remember these womens' ages but...

    1.  a friend's mother had bc about 20 years ago, and she's still going strong... she had tamoxifen, and mast., but no chemo...  when I asked about that, her daughter said, they didn't do chemo then for ER+... 

    2.  an online friend said her Aunt had bc about 20 years ago, and I don't remember what treatment or surgery options she got, but she is doing great still!

    3.  my boss from my last job, said that her great-aunt (I think) had bc and had a double mast., not sure about chemo or rad, but she is still going strong 25 years later!

    4.  Also, let's not forget Ann Jillian!

    I keep this list going whenever I get discouraged or scared... It helps, knowing that there are women who have battled bc and survived!! 

    My sisters told me about two women who also are survivors and my sil told me about a friend of hers, too.  They all have survived 8 - 14 years. 

    Keep the Faith!

    HARLEY 

  • jsims2
    jsims2 Member Posts: 1
    edited September 2007

    All I have to say is that I LOVE this post!!!  I am looking forward to posting here in 30 years bragging about my grandchildren... 

    Thanks everyone

  • star21
    star21 Member Posts: 3
    edited September 2007

    Do any of you remember Diane Carroll, she was diagnosed at least 30 years ago.  She was the very first Actress I remember as having breast cancer, then Ann Jillian, and they are both going strong!!

  • awb
    awb Member Posts: 213
    edited September 2007
    Just adding my mom to the list of long survivors.  She had bc nearly 21 years ago  and had colon cancer twice in the last 5 years and is doing great at 78 years old.
  • Valsul
    Valsul Member Posts: 7
    edited September 2007

    The most surprising thing for me when I was just diagnosed and had had my right breast removed I was feeling so low and frightened that I sat and cried when my bc nurse was with me.  A superb "jolly-hockeysticks" type of person whom I needed to shake me out of my pity party for one she put her hand into her bra and brought out her prosthetic.  She has steel gray hair, is as thin as a whippet and until a few years ago visited patients on her motorbike - she must be late sixties!! 

    She told me she had had her breast removed "years ago" and then promptly started sorting out a prosthesis for me.  "You'll go out of this hospital looking the same way you did when you came in."  And I did.  She was the first one to give me hope.

    Valerie S

  • dville
    dville Member Posts: 1
    edited October 2007

    When I checked in for my pre-op before mastectomy I was feelin g pretty low. The lady behind the counter told me her sister had 19 out of 19 nodes positive and was doing fine 6 years later and in her mid sixties. That made me feel so much better when they found 13 of 17 nodes positive in me.



    Debbie M.

  • badbabe56
    badbabe56 Member Posts: 6
    edited October 2007

    Hi Beth, great thread. I know when I was diagnosed 17 years ago with bc I was scared s...less. I had a 6 week old baby at the time, I had a full mastectomy, followed by chemo, recon,3 years later my second child, and ten years later a tram flap, so far all is well. I always love to hear about other survivors and that is why I go into chat, to offer hope and support. Love badbabe56 (kathy)

  • Diana63
    Diana63 Member Posts: 57
    edited November 2007

    Yesterday I went to visit the residence at a place that I worked two years ago, anyway one of the Unit Managers had heard about my BC. She came up to me and hugged me and said so which one of your girls did they take? I said my left, she said well they took my right girl 25 years ago. I had heard some stories but I wasn't sure if they were true that she had BC a long time ago.

    Anyway she told me that when she was treated their were no support groups, and the doctor didn't really talk about a treatment plan. She was just told you need a mastectomy, chemo & radiation, which she did while holding her then 3 year old daughter on her lap. She didn't miss a day of work during chemo & radiation and didn't have any medication for nausea.

    Her family really didn't understand about BC, because she said no one really talked about it in those days.

    I said that must have been so hard for you, she said no not really I just did what I had to do to live. Then she hugged me again and said, you will be fine and if you need me you know where to find me.

    She just blew me away and I just had to share it with all of you, she is an awsome lady and still going strong. Laughing

  • my3girls
    my3girls Member Posts: 1,291
    edited November 2007

    Diana,

    Thank you for sharing that amazing story.  That is by far one of the strongest women.  Wow, to imagine no real drugs to help with nausea..and she continued to work..and a 3 yr old!!

    What an inspiration!!!

  • Diana63
    Diana63 Member Posts: 57
    edited November 2007

    You are very welcome, she sure it something alright, she had lost her husband 2 years before that. She said I couldn't leave our baby girl all alone, so I decided that I had to live for her.

  • ilenee
    ilenee Member Posts: 5
    edited November 2007

    As being newly diaganosed, you don't know how wonderful it is to see so many wonderful, amazing women surviving this disease. I was really down today, THIS IS REALLY WANT I NEEDED!!!

    Thank you so much for strating this thread. It really gives me hope.

    Ilene

  • boymom2
    boymom2 Member Posts: 1
    edited December 2007

    8 years ago today, December 13, 1999, my Mom, age 59 at the time, was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer.  2/12 lymph nodes positive, aggressive, estrogen receptor positive, small tumor.  After a second opinion, Surgery, chemo (AC & Taxol), re-excision, radiation,  5 years tamoxifen and now Aromasin, Mom is healthy and strong.  I write this because I came to this board (or one similar) 8 years ago looking for positive stories from survivors and I know how much they helped and inspired me.  I hope that our story gives hope to those searching for it.  Best wishes and happy anniversary Mom!

  • Ulla
    Ulla Member Posts: 8
    edited January 2008

    HI ,,HAPPY TO FIND ALL THESE HOPEFULL STORIES BUT  MOST OF THEM ABOUT LADIES WHO R IN THIER 40TIES AND 50TIES OR OLDER,,AM ONLY 34 AND WAS DIAGNOSED IN SEPT,2007 WITH 2CM TUMOR AND 4+NODES ...

    AM ON CHEMO THEN RAD ,,AND I HOPE TO BE A SURIVOR

  • hollyann
    hollyann Member Posts: 279
    edited January 2008

    Ulla,  You ARE a survivor!   From the day of diagnosis you are a survivor. Good luck with your treatment and may God bless you. My mother lived 19 years after her diagnosis (she was 35 and it was the 1950"s)  with absolutely NO treatment.  She had 3 children after her diagnosis ( I am the youngest of those 3)  She passed away in July of 1972.  She had had a full life with 13 children altogether.  (with the same husband)

  • pod1257
    pod1257 Member Posts: 8
    edited January 2008

    My mom was diagnosed with a large 6.2cm tumor, at age 55. She had a mastectomy and no other treatment. Now, 29yrs later, she is doing fine at 84. Hope I do as well as her.

    Julie

  • Marcie777
    Marcie777 Member Posts: 2
    edited January 2008

    I think this was a great idea!!! I am new to this website and since I have a ways to go on this journey I can use all the success stories I can find!! Helps shake the scaries....This is a great thread!

  • Marcie777
    Marcie777 Member Posts: 2
    edited January 2008
    Diana,

    What a BRAVE lady she is..and how lucky for you to have her for support!

    My dx is almost exactly as yours..except I was dx 08/07 at stage III b.After reading these posts,girl we will make it as long as we keep the faith!

    Marcie

  • snowyday
    snowyday Member Posts: 121
    edited January 2008

    What a damn good idea, I'm going to check in to this thread everyday it's so uplifting, and that just what I need right now.  There is a women in her 70's that volunteers at the cancer centre I went to she had bc in her 40's and she looks and feels fabulous.

  • Diana63
    Diana63 Member Posts: 57
    edited January 2008
    Marcie777, When I first came here this is one of the first threads that I looked at, and yes we will make it through this. Laughing
  • erika-canada
    erika-canada Member Posts: 5
    edited January 2008

    Hi:

    These are truly wonderful and inspiring stories.

    However, I would really like to hear from long-term survivors who had Inflammatory Breast Cancer with node involvement?

    Many Hugs,

    Erika

  • Yazmin
    Yazmin Member Posts: 218
    edited February 2008

    Bringing it back up.

  • sarika_for_mama
    sarika_for_mama Member Posts: 1
    edited February 2008

    Calling all Stage IV survivors....please post your stories?

    anyone with liver mets survive 4-5years or more.

    I am determined that I am going to make my mother fight through this. She will be a survivor and hopefully one day She and I can post a nice success story here.

    I love you mom...... So much it hurts.

    And all you brave fighters. We are rooting for you keep the fight going. Hope and faith are your best weapons...never give up. The cure is coming.

  • BethL
    BethL Member Posts: 74
    edited February 2008

    I am now a 2 1/2 year survivor and have a couple of stories to share

    A friend of mine, who never told me she was a survivor until I was dxd, is a survivor of IBC.  She was 38 at the time, had a mastectomy, chemo and 12 years later is still kicking butt!!

    Another friend was dxd at 30 with an agressive large invasive tumor  grade III (9) and something like 14 or 15/17 nodes positive.  She had a lumpectomy and chemo/radiation.  Six years and two children later she is still doing great. 

    My aunt, 10 years ago dx'd with bc and pos nodes, surgery and chemo.  Still fine.

    Another friend 8 years ago, aged 33, not sure of her specs, but know she received chemo, still doing great.

    Actually if I think about it some more, I can probably pull a few more out of my memory. 

  • Yogi70
    Yogi70 Member Posts: 214
    edited March 2008

    My great Aunt Betty was dx 30+ years ago she is now in her early 70s and I have always known her to be very feisty.  You go Aunt Betty!!!

  • Jenniferz
    Jenniferz Member Posts: 25
    edited March 2008

    I have an aunt who 40+ years ago had a mastectomy and nothing else.  She had a large lump under her arm....that's how they found her tumor.  Anyway, she's 89 years young this year, and still going strong!  I have another cousing who had a mastectomy and reconstruction, and is still doing very well.

    Jennifer

  • roxy42
    roxy42 Member Posts: 5
    edited March 2008

    I have a story,My reach to recovery coach.She is 9 years out.She had 5 positive nodes and she had a Lumpectomy kemo rads and tomox for 5 years then femera that made her sick so she stoped taking it and now 9 years later with no reacurance.She is now 62 and she is full of laughter and spunk.I know one day I will be a long term survivor.I'm only three weeks out from active treatment...godbless roxy

  • Diana63
    Diana63 Member Posts: 57
    edited March 2008
    Bump for newbies.  Laughing
  • Sachi
    Sachi Member Posts: 63
    edited March 2008

    "bump"  we need this thread back at the top!

  • heatherpalmerton
    heatherpalmerton Member Posts: 26
    edited March 2008

    these stories are great being stage 4 there alot of great stories on here can we get this thread over to reaccurance and mestatic??? im still new at all this and we could really use some encouragement right know, epecially with the losses we have all seen. thank you so much Heather

Categories

Join Us on Zoom: Upcoming virtual meetups. Read more...
Give your account some personality! Add a profile photo.