Success Stories!
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Thought I'd share a story about a women I knew and talked to often at my son's sports. She is a beautiful lady, extremely fit and NORMAL. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 months ago she immediately called sharing that she is a 14 year survivor...4 bad nodes just like me...and has become my inspiration. I never would have known. There is normalcy at the end of this journey and that is success.
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I am very much a success story,it was my tenth anniversary on 31st March 2008 from the day I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
I was 51 and went for my first mammogram no lump just cells had a lumpectomy in the april and then chemo and radiotheraphy I finished by treatment in the december 1998 and went on Tamoxifen for 5 years then went on the Tamoxifen trial until July 2007. All the time I was being treated I felt OK but it hit me in the February 1999 and I did feel a frightened and insecure for a while but I had great family and friends who let me cry on there shoulder whenever I needed to. I hope this helps to give other women the strength to get through the hard times and let them know that there is a brilliant light at the end of the tunnel.
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I am diagonised inflamatory carsinoma in January 2008 and I am undergoing chemotherapy since then. I had 3 chemos done and will go under surgery soon. My stage is III B. I would like to intreact with ladies with similar diagnosis. or survivors of this stage for more than 5 years. My age is 54.
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I over heard a conversation yesterday at the clinic. The doctor was talking to an 8 year BC survivor in the hall, she was in for her check up. She was talking about how wonderful she felt, so I peeked out the door. To my embarrassment she saw me and said, yes tomorrow will come and you will be their.
I was going to shut the door but then decided to talk to her and tell her she was an inspiration. She just smiled and said, you should have seen me during treatment. The only thing I inspired was the inside of my toilet.
It was great to see someone in person that made it through treatment. 0 -
Last summer I went to a gathering of quilters to see a "master quilter's" collection of life-work. She shared about 50 amazingly, artfully created masterpieces..... I was absolutely in awe. At the conclusion of her morning's presentation, there was a question & answer period. Some one asked how she'd managed to create such incredible pieces and she said that ever since her BC diagnosis she'd had to 'pace' herself because of her LE.
Since I had JUST finished my rounds of radiation I was quite curious and went to speak to her privately afterward. It turns out that at that point (last summer) she was a survivor for 22 years!!!!
I left the meeting walking on a cloud! The majority of the work that she shared had been created SINCE her diagnosis. She was so encouraging.
Keep HOPE alive............
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Thanks to all of you ...even the ones that continue to write or bump, as I just noticed this thread myself. Carmelle ~ Thank you! Yes, there are times we need these inspirational stories of victory! I think too..that people aren't prone to post on these sites as they are going on living there lives and those who need guided do. Back in the days when a friend had cancer early in her years passed away from old age...she never really discussed her BC. So we never knew the details...I wish I would have questions for her then...to know what I know now.
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this is a very hopeful thread, thank you to everyone for posting and to carmelle for starting it.
when i was dx in october 2006, i met a woman who was dx 20 years ago at 42 same as me and she had a mastectomy, chemo and nothing else, she had 11 positive lymph nodes and 20 years later she is cancer free and very very healthy and active.
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We are in Australia visiting friends, and my friend told us about an old friend who was diagnosed with estrogen-receptive positive breast cancer around 1970 at 27 years old. She had a radical mastectomy. Approximately two years later was diagnosed with lungs mets. She had a section of her lung removed. At this time they decided to remove her ovaries to hopefully stop further recurrence. After her treatment she was so impressed by the care given to her at the hospital that she decided to become a nurse (to help others), which she did until just recently, when she retired. She is now 65+ years of age. How inspiring!
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My husband and I went to a health fair this morning. The nurse who measured our body fat (!) was so informative with re. to nutrition. I asked her if she had ever heard of a negative connection between sugar and cancer/cancer recurrence and she said no, she hadn't. I told her that I had (I love to say HAD) breast cancer and that I am trying to eat really well. She extended her hand to me as if to shake it and said "Well, sister...." it took me a minute to understand and I said "You had breast cancer too?" "29 years ago. Radical mastectomy and chemo." She looked to be around 70; the cutest little thing and she kept giving me a hug and saying "You are going to be just fine." 29 years!!!! I started to cry and she said "Honey, there are MANY of us survivors out there. You will be JUST FINE." It made my entire day, talking to her. I was having a very "low" morning and then I met her -- as if it was meant to be.
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On 2/17/08, I was diagnosed with Stage IV--Breast Metasthesis, which had manifested itself in my spine and left femur. I had originally been diagnosed with Stage II-A Breast Cancer on 3/25/05.
The success story in my Stage IV diagnosis is "Miracles do happen." When my family, friends, and co-workers found out I had bone cancer, everyone prayed, no matter what their religion, that all the active cancer in my body would be surgically removed (the surgery would be a success) and that I would be cancer-free. On 2/26/08 and again in a pet scan on 5/2/08, those prayers were answered.
I am here--and saved again from cancer--to tell you that Stage IV is not a death sentence and "IV" is just a number.
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Kim ~
You had me teary eyed myself...how inspiring!!
Karen~
You have the right attitude..keep the faith!
Much LUV
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Bump. Reading these posts is a great way to start the day!
Nico
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Here are more inspirational stories.
My mom is a 23 year survivor (stage 0 or 1 I think/she doesn't remember (!) and did not follow up with visits to oncologist after her surgery (!!), but no chemo or rads)...doing great at 75 years old!
Her best friend is a 5-year survivor; I'm not sure what stage she was but she had positive nodes and was estrogen +....did not want chemo or Tamox and is doing just fine today.
I have a good friend that I met online (scrapbook message site); we have "known" each other for a while. She had stage 2 breast cancer/tumor was size of golf ball and a few pos nodes -- she just celebrated her 10-year anniversary, cancer free!
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bump !
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HOPE, STRENGTH & VICTORY !0 -
I love coming back to this thread to read the survivor stories again. Thanks so much to all who have posted!
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I love this thread too...thanks ladies. I am having a "bad night" for some reason and just read thorugh the posts again...gave me a bit if hope!!! I can do this!!!
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Bumping for Cupake7
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Just found this thread, and reading all of the wonderful posts of survival, especially the ones where ladies had positive nodes and refused to do more than surgery, or surgery and chemo, and they are still here after many years. WhooHoo!!!! I just knew, right to the marrow of my being, that I had made the right choice for me not doing radiation or Tamox, and so many of these stories have served to validate my decision.
Thanks for this inspiring thread!!!! I can't tell you how many women have come up to me, hugged me, and told me I'm going to be just fine because they are living proof cancer can be beat.
Had to comment and move this up so others will find hope, comfort, and validation in these stories.
SIS (Sister In Survival) Kimberly
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Bumping for econmom
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Bump for everyone
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Bump for judy59
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Hello Ladies. I was diagnosed in 2003 with triple neg, TWO 2.5 cm tumors, and 7 out of 11 nodes positive, at age 36, while pregnant. Statistics said I'd be lucky to live 3 years.
Well I delivered my healthy baby and I lived 4 years with no evidence of disease! Unfortunately I did have a recurrence in 2007 to my hip bone, but I am taking oral chemo (xeloda) and I am working and living and praying for a cure.
I'm glad to hear that you can keep living after breast cancer and even with stage IV cancer. Thank you for this inspiring thread!
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This is the best! I just discovered this topic. I love reading all these positive stories. This will be the first place I check from now on.
Thanks!
Victorious
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Bumping for Baziotes
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Bumping for Estepp
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A BUMP for Rose
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I am pretty new to email message boards. Could someone please tell me what a "bump" means?? Thanks.
Victorious
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What an awesome thread. I just started reading it today, but will be back every day from now on.
I went in for my radiation mapping yesterday and the rad tech told me how wonderful my incision looked. She said she always looks at incisions and ask who the surgeon was so that when her day comes she will know which surgeon to use. It made me so sad and I said to her, don't say that; not everyone gets bc. She smiled and said that it was ok, that she could say that and be OK with it. Her grandmother and mother both had breast cancer. She said her grandma is now 95 and her mom is in her 60s. She also said, we cure people with breast cancer now.
I was inspired by her grandmom and mom's strories, but also by her lack of fear!!!
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