2013 Survivors!!!
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Congratulations on selling the house Believe!!!!!! It is wit know, but hopefully in the end you will be happy in your new home. Are you still going to be doing the bracelets? I still wear mine everyday, although my original one broke, I still have others to wear and think of all of you!!!!!
I haven't posted in a whole, but I am doing well. I can't believe the summer is almost over already! My DS graduated from HS and has started school to get his CDL. I cringe everytime I see an 18 wheeler knowing my DS will be driving one everyday starting next month. He loves it though do I am happy for him! It is great that things are getting back to normal for me. I still think of all of you everyday though!!!!!
Hugs to everyone!!!!!!!
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Hi all!
So today is my 2 year diagnosis anniversary. I'm definitely a little emotional today, but in general I've been feeling great!
It's just tough taking a moment to look back over the past 2 years and think about what has happened..... pardon my language, but it's kind of a mind f--k!
Do any of you feel that way?
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uds17 - cancerversaries are always a little difficult to get through, especially the first couple of years - we go through so much and it takes longer for our minds to catch up. Be patient and gentle with yourself
Believe - congratulations on the house sale!
Marianelizabeth - such good news re: depression - med and mindfulness:) Looking forward to the blog post and will go check out Scorchy's now
Take care every
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Cancer anniversaries do get easier. Last December was my third and it went by without me even realizing it.
Hi everyone, have not been on for awhile. Just spent three fabulous weeks in San Diego at my brother's place. Jo came down for one week which added to the vacation. On Wednesday I go back to my volunteer job at our local cancer hospital......I'm really looking forward to that. Hope everyone is well and enjoying summer
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Thanks for the support, ladies!
xoxo
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I know I posted last week. But I guess it didn't save!!!! My sisters MIL passed last Wednesday dying AML. it's leukemia and she got because of the chemo. She had Breast cancer in 2012 also. The funeral was yesterday and it was crushing. My sister has been with my BIL for 34 years so they are family to me too at this point. Angela will be missed. The thing is, Drs didn't tel her (me) this secondary cancer is possible. It's less then 4% who get it after chemo. But my chemo was elective. My numbers on my I oncotype score were smack in the middle. If I'd known about how my body would be PERMAMNENTLY chemically altered, weight gain, menopause, hot flashes etc... NIT being BRACA +, having no family history, and THIS... I think I may have made a different decision on chemo. So now I'm pissed and sad, and hating fucking cancer. RIP Angela.... Xoxo ladies. Go find some happy in her name would you
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Juneau - big hugs. Don't second guess your decision. Remember - we make the best decisions we can make with the info we have when we are forced to make them. Onward and forward. Find your happy in her honor.
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Juneau - I'm so sorry for your families loss. I'm sure we will all doing something happy in Angela's memory - we are always here for you.
We all made the best decision at the time
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Juneau - big hugs, hard not to second guess but no going back, only forward. Be angry that this happened to your sister's MIL, grieve the loss but then do as you asked us to do and find your happy in her honor.
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believe, congrats on the sale of your house ... Big move after 25 years.
Marianelizabeth, glad things are going well with Effexor and the mindfulness classes.
Juneau sorry about your sisters MIL ...
I had a busy summer ... 5 weeks vacation ... Spent some at the trailer on our cottage loss (our cottage was torched Easter weekend), 1 week in Holguin, Cuba and 1 week in La Jolla, California with Scottie ... Now back to reality WORK. BUSY working on the plans with the builder for the rebuild ... Hoping to be in to celebrate Christmas.
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Juneau I'm so sorry. Unfortunately I did know that chemo can cause leukemia because I know two people who died from it within 5 years of treatment. I always said that if it happened to me I would never have chemo. So when the day came I was shocked by how quickly I agreed to treatment. I told them my concerns and they understood and told me the risks. It was a no brainer to have chemo. I do wish I would've known the other side effects like you mentioned. Now I am preparing for cataract surgery which is a gift from all the high dose steroids. I try to look at it as a plus. No more glasses! Don't go to the dark side. Take it as experience that one day you may be able to help someone with. My BFF' s SIL just finished chemo and through it all I was able to tell her what to expect and "yes that's common" I was able to make it a little less scary for her and for that I am grateful. So take that anger turn it to a positive and celebrate everyday in honor of everyone we've lost.
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Juneaubugg, things move so fast in research and new treatments that a decision we make one year may make no sense the next. I had two surgeries for my lumpectomy because the margin was 2mm short around the area of DCIS. A year later they say as long as there is nothing in the ink you don't need additional surgery. Because of my decision, with the best info available, I have a ton of scar tissue and some lingering swelling. I had the same oncotype number as you and was recommended by my oncologist that the gain of chemo wasn't worth the risk, and I hope he's right. But like people have said we make our treatment decisions on what is right for us. No guarentees for anyone I guess. (now that sounded pretty calm, not filled with the panic I feel sometimes wondering if I made any correct decisions in my treatment 😬)
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As part of my routine follow-up my oncologist ordered an abdominal ultrasound.... apparently I have a cyst on my left kidney that has grown in size compared to 2 years ago. So now I have to go to a urologist and have more tests. I know chances are it's nothing- just a benign cyst- but my last calcium level was high and that can sometimes be associated with kidney issues.
Doesn't G-d know that I just want to be done with Dr's appointments and get on with my life??
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uds17, here's to hoping it is in fact a benign cyst and also that it is not a long "waiting game"~~too many of them already for all of us!
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Hello Ladies...I know I was never on the IDC board, as my cancer was ILC...but I was visiting bc.org again to check in with my friends who stuck together and shared our crap! I saw "2013 " survivors and that would be me, so here I am ...if that's ok?! Also, the book you have posted, Dancing in Limbo is one that I read...my summer rads 2014 "sistas" and I created a group on here called "Dancing in Limbo" with credit being given to the authors of this book. We wanted to keep up with each other as we entered the next part of our journey as survivors. I was diagnosed December 18, 2013...3 days after my 54 th birthday, when I had a biopsy done after finding a lump under my armpit. Official diagnosis was the 18th. So, I will also check in here as our Dancing in Limbo board is not very active....I found it harder to get through the survivor mode those few months after treatment ended ( chemo ended June 2014...rads, august 2014), so Dancing in Limbo board was created.
I do have a silly question...as for cancerversaries, do you all count your years as " survivors" from diagnosis date or end of treatment date, when you face the world again after surviving all the treatment??? Just curious.
This rings true for so many of us...I have it hanging in my kitchen...God Bless and peace to all...Rosie
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Welcome Rosie! We aren't very active now either but you found a great group of women. I don't know about others but I count the date of my surgery as my cancerversay date. May 1, 2012. So far so good.
Update: our house closed and we are now full time in our Laughlin house. We arrived Thursday. Since this house is already furnished we are wondering what we are going to do with the furniture and belongs the movers are delivering our Wednesday. Since I survived Cancer - I know we will figure it out!
See - dreams do come true!
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I count my anniversary as my surgery date. The day that cancer was removed from my body.
So, just a tad over 3 years. Hard to believe. It still feels like just yesterday sometimes.
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rosieride, did I see and respond to you on the Anastrozole site? Chemo brain!! But maybe also due to the fact that I am off to the Himalaya on Monday to lead a trek and tour in Bhutan etc. and have been crazy busy with a fundraiser for Nepal, and last minute details. Life after BC treatment in a way for me. There has been a lot of discussion what date but I guess I go from date of diagnosis. Funny but just this week did I kind of feel that I am getting past a lot of stuff. Antidepressants and mindfulness for the past two months have helped too. Hi to everyone from our wonderful group.
Also "Dancing In Limbo" is on my list but will have to wait until I get back.
Marian0 -
Wow I don't really check in all that much but I did today and saw the posts about cancerveraries and couldn't believe when I realized that today is my 3 year anniversary. I didn't even realize it. That's a good thing but I am going to make sure I celebrate.
Believe congrats on your move. Maybe there are charities like habitat for humanity that can take what you don't need. I'm a firm believer in donations. This year I'm not doing the Komen walk but instead my family and I are participating in a plane pull to raise money for special Olympics.
Happy Sunday everyone
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Marianeliza....yes, you did answer on anastrozole page (arimadex)!! That's how I found this page...you sure are doing some neat things!! I am happy when I can make a 30 minute walk on our beach!! Lol...best to you! Rosie
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Welcome. Rosie! As you can see, we are all a little different in how we calculate our cancerversarie - I do it from date of diagnosis
Believe, congratulations on closing on your house! Hope the moving in goes well for you, very exciting'
Marian - wishing you a wonderful trip, looking forward to hearing all about it, so glad you are feeling well :
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Wishing those of you who celebrate a very happy and healthy Jewish new year! We hosted holiday dinner last night and I think it was the first time since cancer that we did a big dinner - fancy china and all - at our house. It felt good. We've come a long way ladies! Wishing you all health amd happiness!
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Back on in October and so nice to see some of us back here!
Love to you all,
Marian
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Last night's challahs
Shana tova, ladies!! Warm wishes for a happy, HEALTHY year! Xoxo
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Believe, I am wearing your beautiful angel bracelet for you trip. Reminders of all of us.
Love Marian
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Hello Ladies. In years past, like many of you, I've done the American Cancer Society Making Strides walk. This year - I'm feeling "pinked out" and just don't want to do it. So instead I've joined Breast Cancer Action's Don't Pink for Me campaign and set up my own fundraising page: http://dontpinkforme.causevox.com/MightyMillers. If you're feeling disillusioned by pinkwashing this year but still want to give back in some way, please consider BCA's think before you pink work. And don't forget to find your happy in the process! Love you ladies!
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Love that idea, Ramols - I also am 'pinked out' - thanks for sharing and you definitely sound like you have found your happy
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I'm pinked out too...Let's enjoy the colors of Fall.....
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ramols: me too. And I'm on a business trip that weekend anyway. And happy new year!!!
As for Cancerversary ... Well I have 3. DX date, surgery date, and the one I count from - end of treatment (last chemo).
MariannEliz; you go trek for all us.
Believe; are you all settled in yet?
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Wow - it's been a month. Hope everyone is good. Did anyone see this article yet: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/21/health/breast-ca... ? I am somewhat incensed by it. It was these statements that got me:
"As for the decision to stop recommending clinical breast exams, the society said that there was no evidence that the exams save lives, but that there was evidence that they could cause false positives — meaning they could mistakenly suggest problems where none existed and lead to more tests. The exams can take five or six minutes that could be put to better use during office visits..."
What else would be done in those 5 or 6 minutes that would be a better use of time? I am 100% certain that if my GYN had not done a clinical breast exam when he did - that I would be dead today.
And in their recommendations to increase the age for starting mammograms, they write this:
"According to the evidence review accompanying the guidelines, the benefit of regular mammography is that it can reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer by about 20 percent. Because breast cancer is less common in younger women, their baseline risk of dying is lower, and screening them saves fewer lives."
Now I admittedly don't know all the stats - but common sense tells me that young women are the minority in the pot of unlucky women with BC. But what feels crystal clear to me - having been diagnosed at 37, before the previous recommended age of 40 for baseline, and spending time on the 30s and under board here on BCO - is that LOTS of young women are getting BC today. And my sense is that by the time young women are diagnosed (since screening recommendations exclude younger women) it is fairly advanced and often the risk of dying is greater.
Argh!
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