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Success Stories!

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Comments

  • marlenet
    marlenet Member Posts: 114
    edited July 2009

    I love this thread!   What a fantastic thread!  It is nice to head about the success stories.   This guy at work told me about his mother, who had bc in her early50"s, she died in her 90"s of nature causes. His sister is a survivor for 20 plus years as well.  In fact since dx people have shared their stories with me.  I counted over 30 people that have come forth to tell me about their wives, mother's sister and  or themselves!  Thank you for sharing your stories. 

  • swest
    swest Member Posts: 140
    edited July 2009

    Bump

  • fightinhrd123
    fightinhrd123 Member Posts: 21
    edited July 2009

    I have a friend who is 38, had breast cancer 8 years ago, mom died of it, is BRCA 1 +, had HUGE tumor, is doing just fine :)

  • Newbie21
    Newbie21 Member Posts: 10
    edited July 2009

    We need more of these stories! Bring them on! Giulia

  • tibet
    tibet Member Posts: 29
    edited July 2009

    Bump. We need more sucess stories.

  • flannelette
    flannelette Member Posts: 398
    edited July 2009

    OK - here's a new one. But I should have revised my picture first, as the one shows me bald, during chemo, and now I have wild, curly, 4 inch-long silver hair - I call it my silver lining. Wanted curly hair all my life. Had perfectly straight hair till chemo last fall. this new hair is my silver lining. I'm one year out from my mastectomy.

    My inspiration came from my mother and sister. Mom had a radical mastectomy back in the dark ages - 1951. she was 44 and I was 4. She then lived in perfect health till she died at age 81, of a different cancer.

    then my sister, DCIS at age 61, lumpectomy & radiation. Now over 5 years clear.

    So, I'd kind of had it on my shoulder all my life, and really for me it was which mammogram will it show up on? and it did, and it was a whopper - 8 cm x 8cm x 4 cm. The night before I saw my surgeon for my pathology report I had a dream. It was my Mom and me, vigorously sweeping yellow blobs off the pavement, except the pavement was sort of red and wet - I woke up knowing that somehow my Mom was helping me sweep cancer cells away. Got my report - no nodes, margins clear, no vascular involvement. yea! I punched my fist in the air and considered that my "miracle" and that was good enough for me.

    I never asked my drs for my grade and stage, thought I might become depressed by dwelling on survival statistics, so ignored that completely until a few moonths ago when I figured out (and my onc. confirmed) I was stage 2b.

    But the main thing I dwell on is, as my Nurse Navigator said "I kicked cancer's ass!" 

    But lest the tree spirits get angry when I repeat that, I still do knock on wood.

     

  • welshgirl
    welshgirl Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2009

    Hello

    I was diagnosed 4 years ago and have been reading the success stories since then.  They have given me massive encouragement and I found myself reading and re reading the positive posts over and over again when trying to get through the dark days.

     I am pleased to say that over perhaps the last 6 months I have been visiting the site less and less, then today - hence my reason for posting - whilst reading the stories I found myself thinking 'oh poor things - what a thing to have to go through"  then after a minute or so I realised that I had been through it!!!.  Just wanted to say that when people tell you that one day you will feel positive and not spend every day dwelling on what has happened that it is actually true and it will happen!!.

     I remember thinking I would never work again and never feel truely happy again - although i admit to feeling frightened at times - in case my world crashes down again, it no longer consumes my life.

    I had a double mast. chemo for 6 months , 15 sessions of Radio therapy and am currently on Arimidex.  Have been back at work for the last 3 years working full time as a staff nurse on a busy medical ward.

     Just had to share this with you as I felt I got so much from all your stories - Thankyou!!!  Just going to have a glass of wine now and toast to life!! xx 

  • farila_1966
    farila_1966 Member Posts: 35
    edited August 2009

    Congratulations for all the success you have achieved Welshgirl. You will inspire those who need positive stories...........

  • marlenet
    marlenet Member Posts: 114
    edited August 2009

    You guys ROCK!  

  • glostagirl
    glostagirl Member Posts: 93
    edited August 2009

    bump

  • London-Virginia
    London-Virginia Member Posts: 109
    edited August 2009

    very heartening - thanks a lot everyone.

    xxxxxxx

  • swest
    swest Member Posts: 140
    edited August 2009

    bump

  • spar2
    spar2 Member Posts: 3,631
    edited August 2009

    My best friend from grade school up has breast cancer mets in her liver and bones and after a clinical trial she had her scans today and they are good, she is in remission.  I call it a miracle.  God is good.

  • funthing42
    funthing42 Member Posts: 236
    edited August 2009
    Hi, I have been struggling with the decision what to do. 41 and Frozen with fear. dx'd in June of this year. IDC stage I, grade II/III ,node neg, 0.6 cm  Already to get RADS and Tamoxifen. Then I took Oncotype scored a 23. Struck my optimistic stage I to the ground. Now talking Chemo. When I was first dx'd I was ready to remove both breast and get rid of my ovaries. My sister was DX'd last year same time with IDCSat 36. I took BRCA test also, results neg. Thanks to everyone here and at other threads I'm starting to thaw. I almost forgot about all of the courageous survivors. I'm so wrapped up in the decision of the future. I cant even buy shampoo. Silly I guess. So worried about my sister. I guess we can do it. Thanks Again and Again. Smile
  • kittycat
    kittycat Member Posts: 1,155
    edited September 2009

    Here's a success story.  My sister was dx with IDC last year in October.  She had Stage 3, grade 3 cancer.  She had a lumpetcomy, bilat mastectomy and chemo.  Luckily, she had no lymphnode involvment.  Her chemo was to prevent reoccurrence.  She is doing great now and is training to run in the Susan G Komen race this month in NYC.

    Her doctor told her that she better have me fully tested.  I went in for a mammo that came out ok, but my obgyn wanted an ultrasound just to be safe.  They found a small lump on me that ended up being DCIS. I tested positive for BRCA1 and I had a bilat mastectomy on 8/12.  My pathology report was good - no new cancer, just the DCIS, nothing invasive, no hormone receptors and no cancer on the left!  Yeah! 

    The way I look at it, my sister saved my life!  We both look forward to being cancer free for hopefully the rest of our lives!  :)

  • London-Virginia
    London-Virginia Member Posts: 109
    edited September 2009

    Thanks for sharing your great story - good luck to you and your sister!

  • marlenet
    marlenet Member Posts: 114
    edited September 2009

    funthing42    I too had IDC, stage 1 , grade 2 , node neg, 0.6 cm  er, pr +, her-.  My onco score was 25 ( 16% recurrence)  I freaked out! My doc suggested I have chemo because of my age (44 at the time)  I went through chemo and feel much better that  I did.  Stage 1 is still considered early stage.... Sending you and your sister many prayers!

    kittycat   Thank you for sharing your story!  You sister sounds amazing, training to run in the Susan G Komen race .  Thank her for me!  Your sister not only saved your life but by running she is saving many lives! God bless you and her!

    JO-5    I can't wait for that 5 year mark!   You need to celebrate!!!!!  Thank you for sharing!   

  • momto2angels
    momto2angels Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2009

    My SIL has a friend who had 2 nodes and is 9 years out! :)

    I am so excited to finally be POSTING stories here.  I have saved every inspirational story on "word pad" in my computer and am able to pull up (as of "today") 58 pages worth of AWESOME, INSPIRATIONAL stories to remind me that GOD "IS" GOOD!!!   

  • momto2angels
    momto2angels Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2009

    I think every story needs it's own post so here's another Laughing

    My husband's best friend's mother.. we'll call her Dotty.. who is now in her late 80's, apparently had B.C. when she was in her 40's!  Don't know the extent of it all but was told she had surgery wayyyy back then.  I visited with her when I was going through my treatments and she never said a WORD! lol  My MIL is the one who told us about Dotty's B.C. and said she just doesn't talk about it.  Wow.. nearly 50 years ago, 3 children, 5 grandchildren later she's still enjoying life!!!  Heck, it's been SO LONG she probably doesn't even remember she even HAD B.C. Laughing

    GOD IS GOOD!!!

  • momto2angels
    momto2angels Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2009

    This story isn't about B.C. but it is worth sharing because it is amazing and inspirational.

    My neighbor's wife was diagnosed with a form of "C" and was told she had a 20% chance of surviving a year.  23 years later and in her late 70's she passed away from something else..not the "C" word!  My neighbor said "it's all about attitude"! 

    GOD IS GOOD!!!

  • momto2angels
    momto2angels Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2009

    Two years ago when I was going through treatments, my sister was getting her hair done at the salon in town and told the hairdresser about me.  She said "oh yeah?.. how about this".. "my sister had 14 nodes and that was 10 years ago!"

    GOD IS GOOD!!!

  • cakeisgreat
    cakeisgreat Member Posts: 188
    edited September 2009

    I just found this thread.  Wow 19 pages of success!!!!

    My 60 year old friend's mom was diagnosed with breast cancer around age 50...and that was 40 YEARS AGO+.  She's over 90 years old!!!!  Has dementia now, but that's about it.

     Also, my oncologist told me last visit that she had a patient who was diagnosed with stage IV in 1987 and has lived with it now for 20 years!  Raised her kids, etc.

    Totally awesome!

  • momto2angels
    momto2angels Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2009

    I was sitting next to a woman in the dr's office who was talking about her Mother who was being treated for mets to her lungs.  She said she had gone 25 years without a recurrence.  She said "yeah, one day my mother said her EMPHYSEMA medicine wasn't working anymore".  I am assuming her mother smoked???  Okay, if that is the case.  She went 25 years without a recurrence while smoking!  HELLO!

    GOD IS GOOD!

  • Let-It-Be
    Let-It-Be Member Posts: 31
    edited September 2009

    momtoangels: keep those stories coming!
    God is indeed Good!

  • momto2angels
    momto2angels Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2009

    Actress Lynn Redgrave is a 7yr survivor.  I remember reading an article about her when I was in the doctor's office going through my treatments.  If I remember correctly she was at a stage 3?  I have been trying to verify that but can't find it anywhere (it's hard to find ANY celebrity's "stage").  I did come across a statement a doctor made in an article about her though.  It reads:  "Eighty-five percent of our patients, taking all comers at all stages, survive, and I think people don't realize that.  They think breast cancer is a death sentence," said Dr. Michael Schulz, St. Joseph's Breast Center" 

    God Is Good!

  • momto2angels
    momto2angels Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2009

    I just came across a post on blogforacure.com.  A woman told of her mother who is "a 15 year survivor of stage 3 with 15 nodes involved"!! 

  • cakeisgreat
    cakeisgreat Member Posts: 188
    edited September 2009

    Thanks momto2angels. That's a GOOD one to remember!

    Forgot to mention that my friend's mom-in-law is a 13 year survivor so far as a stage 3-er.

  • momto2angels
    momto2angels Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2009

    There are SO many stories on komen.org but one really stands out to me.  A woman named Susan Johnson says she had BC in her liver, lung and bone.  Apparently she had a stem cell transplant in 1998 and posted "Six weeks later, I emerged bald and weak but cancer-free.  As the weeks, months and years passed with no recurrence, I knew I had wone my battle."

    How amazing is that!!

    God is good!!

  • momto2angels
    momto2angels Member Posts: 17
    edited September 2009

    Cakeisgreat.. Thank you so much for sharing that story!!!!  LOVE IT!!

    I felt I was hogging this thread.. lol.. thanks for joining me here!!!

  • London-Virginia
    London-Virginia Member Posts: 109
    edited September 2009

    Many thanks (as ever) for sharing these stories ladies.  Wonderful.

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