Success Stories!
Comments
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Yay Farila! This is an awesome sucess story.
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Farila
You are 12 yrs out and that's so great. Did you get chemo too? How did you meet the survivors from US?
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Farila ~ Your story is such an inspiration! Thank you so much for sharing it. I will think of you often, especially the totally positive way you have chosen to view your bc experience. I wish you continued good health and many years of happiness with your beautiful family. You are one strong lady! Deanna
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Thank you everyone for the lovely words and good wishes. We all need that.. don't we?
As for me meeting survivors from USA and other parts of the world it happened long after my own DX. My Mom was DX with breast cancer in 2003. She underwent treatment and refused to take Chemo because she had seen me go through hell with my chemo cycles. It was 12 years ago and in India (where oncology is decades behind USA) so the chemo was very harsh on me. My Mom decided at 63 she cannot go through it. Within 8 months she had recurrance and this time it came back very strong and the tumor grew very fast. I was very upset and wanted some advice and shoulder to cry on... I kept looking and to my horror I found we did not have any cancer support group where I lived. So I logged onto net and found a site where I met few wonderful ladies... They helped me with medical advice, emotional decisions and were with me (virtually but it means a lot) when I lost my Mom on January 1st 2006. Happy new year huh??? BTW my Mom was always adamant that chemo was going to kill her and she went ahead and proved it.
So I have lost two dear family members to cancer. My mom and my elder sister who lost her battle with cancer at the age of 32 in 1996. She had some sort of doctor phobia and would freak out at the sight of hospitals and needle. So always hesitated to take treatment and no one could convince her...
I have learnt so much from support groups online and wish to create awareness in my village where cancer is still a hush hush thing. People do not approach doctors until it is too late.
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Hi,
I have already posted on the tissue expander portion; but I am sitting here now so happy to be a survivor of almost 29 years. I was only 34 years old, when I found a lump the size of two finger tips. No time was wasted between finding it and getting a biopsy and modified radical mastectomy. In 1980, lumpectomies were not the usual way to go; and I wanted every advantage of ridding myself of cancer. I had two young children that needed me and a very loving husband. The first year was the worst, seeing that hideous scar, trying all kinds of prostheses and hating every one of them. Then, of course, there was the very scarey on-going mental torture of a recurrence. I lived each day as a mental wreck expecting the worst; until I read about a surgery that for the most part saves the good breast. The surgery goes by different names, one of the subcutaneous mastectomy. After talking to my surgeon, he said it would be a very good choice for me; and at the same time I opted for the cancer side to have reconstruction. Finding a good plastic surgeon was much harder than I expected. Some were cold as ice, some could only offer the "baseball look", some anxious to try experimental things. I cried a lot in those days. Finally, I found my wonderful plastic surgeon who took a lot of time explaining everything to me and we decided to use the latissimus flab to build up a natural looking breast. They were placed under the muscles for better support. The left subcutaneous procedure was a piece of cake (the small incision under the breast was just about invisible). The flap on the other side took awhile to heal; and the lower back where it was tunneled from was a bit sore. I was so happy to be able to put on a bra like a normal woman. I didn't realize for a long time that implants do need replacing and that is where I am at right now. Surgery to remove the old implants that had ruptured, was almost four weeks ago. Since I hadn't talked to anyone about reconstruction in a long, long time, to me "expanders" was a brand new topic. I am just beginning to understand their function. And, I don't care if I am 63, I want good-sized perky boobs. If I am diligent about working out and eating right, I will end up with a better figure than I had at high school graduation. Attitude is everything. Don't let negative people sway your decisions. Choose a doctor who understands you and has a lot of experience. This is your body and only you should dictate your desires. Is there anyone else out there who has a similar story to mine. I feel like the old kid on the block, but look like the new kid (wink)!
Finding
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latticelady03
you were 29 yr survivor! this is good to hear. How big was your tumor? What kind of chemo did you take? How did you manage the 29 yrs with fear?
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Farila,
So great to hear from really long term survivors. Thanks for sharing, so beautiful.
Latticelady 29 years. Sure ne women are really getting hope from this.
Michelle
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We need more success stories. Pls come and add and help!
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I got this email from a friend this am -
I met a woman from CT yesterday. She mentioned she was a cancer survivor. She had a very aggressive breast cancer-lymph node involvement too. I asked her how long ago and she said 26 YEARS AGO!! She has a 29 year old daughter who was 3 at the time.
:-)
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Bump
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"...most women dx with BC will die of something else" -- THANK YOU!!
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BUMP - I need to read about some LONG term survivors.
My friend met a woman at the soccer fields the other day - 9 1/2 year survivor - 3 postive lymph nodes.
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Everyminute ~ When I was first dx'd, so many women came forward and told me their long term survival stories -- all with at least 1 positive node. My cousin in NY (10 years), a friend in CO (10 years), a woman who had worked with my husband (12 years), another casual friend here in CA (10 years), and several more. Their stories have not only encouraged me, but they are what finally got me comfortable with doing chemo and now rads, because with one exception, they had all done both -- and with no lingering SE's, which is interesting since all of their tx's were at least 10 years ago. Deanna
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Yesterday after I spoke of my dx to a group of teachers, one came up afterward and shared that she is 17 years out from dx and has channeled her anger/fear/frustrations into politics and is active in her ACS group and speaks to her legislaters (sp???) regarding health care, insurance, BC and the whole enchilada.
Gave me goose bumps listening to her.
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One of the medical oncologists at the University Med Center shared with me today that she is a 14 year survivor -
5 POSITIVE LYMPH NODES!
"Never give up. Never Surrender."
Nico
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Thank you Nico !!!!
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I was just chacking in and posted this on another forum. When I started this thread 5 1/2 years ago it was so hard to think past a year or two. Now I plan for the future and live for today. I had 5 positive nodes which were quiet large. Cancer in both breasts at 38. That will be 6 years ago Mar 7 this year. I had the lump for over two years prior to diagnosis so I think of myself as an 8 year survivor.
Michelle
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I met a woman who had BC 20 years ago in one breast and 6 years ago in the other breast and she is fine.
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Thank you newalex!
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hi my recovery coach who helps women get through breastcancer.She will be 10 years out on monday.she had lumpectomy 5 positive nodes kemo radiation tomox for five years and nothing health and she is 10 years out doing great.She dident change her diet.She eats sweets and any thing she wants.She wasent even told about sugar being bad.......godbless roxy
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thanks Roxy - I needed that tonight!
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one of my best friends mum's had a bi-lat mas and no other treatment, she was 40 at the time, she is about to turn 90, amazing!
Lorraine
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I highly recommend a post by Kathy36 in the forum "Recurrence and Metastatic Disease",
topic - "Sixteen years and still counting". What an inspiration!
Nico
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Bumping for Connie.
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As a "beginner," it's been great for me to work with a woman who is a 6-year survivor & have a good friend who is an 11-year survivor. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays & Peace, and gratitude for the gift of our friendship here & our continued lives.
Hugs to all.
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I have been searching for success stories... they've been calling me on the phone. Now I find you all online as well. Bless you!! Thank you for being willing to share your success and share your treatment stories..Just out of surgery 11/26th- Thanksgiving Day, what a wonderful Thanksgiving & Christmas this has been. I now know I have a lifeline to grab onto.
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Bumping for all in need of success stories!
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Bump again.
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Rainenz from New Zealand posted on another thread on Jan. 1, 2009 ~
"I am 12 years out from my 1st trip neg dx with 6+ nodes and 2.5 years out from
my 2nd trip neg dx with 29+ nodes and so far NED of any progression"
This wonderful success story just had to be shared!
Nico
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Bumping for newer board users...
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