Stage III Cancer Survivors ...Five + Years and Out.
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Yndorian- I haven’t had anyLE issues thankfully
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Thank you, I wish you many many happy years! Kisses
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It *really* helps to have these posts...
I am coming up on my 3rd cancerversary. It was April 13, 2016. I remember everything about that day. Including, the look on the radiologist's face...he looked as if he'd seen a ghost. His face turned white and said “it's not a cyst".
My tumor was large, ugly and very aggressive.
I honestly didn't think I would live another year.
But, I am here, alive and kicking...
I workout nearly everyday and am addicted to HIIT classes. I ran a 5K this past Sunday. And, finished in the top 1/4 of my age division.
I know this can always come back...and still have my dark moments. But, I am grateful to be able to do the things I can do.
And, wish I knew (back then) that I would still be alive today.
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DancingElizabeth, You had a diagnosis like mine, only a couple of years later. And like you, my ultrasound technician's eyes nearly popped out of her head before she dashed out to get a doctor. Hmmm, not the best way to find out, and I wish these people could be a bit more discreet, but I soon learned to toughen up and acquire the resilience necessary to handle this disease.
Best wishes to you.
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Hi kiwimum!!
You have been on my mind . So happy for you and all the great things /places you have enjoyed with your girls ( and guy ). I rarely log on anymore either . It will be 10 years in November. Someone had asked about LE. I do have a bit in my lower arm but has been no problem. I have not worn a sleeve in a long time. Anyway. Like you , Rawinia , this site was a life saver and took away the loneliness that can come along with cancer. May you continue to enjoy all the good stuff !! Xoxo
Kim
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Just checking in after a few years of silence here. Been so busy living life! When I was first diagnosed, I never thought I would still be here NINE years later and still NED! Keep up your hope.
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dancingelizabeth, traveltext, joan888: thank you for posting here the HOPE. It means so much for me and the other newers! God bless you guys!
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KiwiMum, Joan888, Traveltext, DancingElizabeth, everyone here, thank you for your posts. I agree with Yndorian, your stories and perspectives help newbies like us. I hope years of NED just pile up for you all.
Yndorian, hang in there. Hey, I was diagnosed almost at the same time as you. (Does secret handshake of the club no one ever wanted to join.) The sadness and dread get to me, too. I keep hoping I can get past the treatments and scans and aches and worries and just glide for a bit. Let's both get there.
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JMouse.. gliding is good...it comes and goes...I'm 3 1/2 yrs from 10/14 nodes recurrence. Its gone for me these last few weeks, finally did nipple recon with fat grafting. Rougher than I thought. Now we are worried about husband's job this week, his company is restructuring this week and won'tknow if hes safe til end of the week. Uh oh. Always something .. life goes on. Seeing my healthy happy 9 yr old turn 10 in a few weeks.
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Congratulations on 3.5 years, 7of9. Hope your soon to be 10-yr old has a laugh-filled birthday and your husband's job is safe. I hope you can get back to that gliding soon.
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Hi ladies,
Just jumping in to say today is 7 years since I was diagnosed and I feel great. Apart from achy joints, thank you Arimidex, and mild lymphedema (confined to upper part of right arm) I am out in the world like any other mom, with my 18 and 16 yr old girls living life like a "nomal" person. I know, define normal😂 but, for a long time I struggled with a type of shame/guilt with getting breast cancer.... having "let my self down" not taking care of myself re diet and exercise, even though I wasn't overweight or particularly unfit when I was diagnosed. I resented my body for how it felt and looked after each surgery, after chemo, when I almost died from pneumonia. I was so angry with myself. I felt breast cancer as a stigma....I thought I stood out like a sore thumb to strangers on the street, Like someone with leprosy! I know now I didn't, obviously. But for a long time thoughts like this consumed me and although I was Oscar worthy for putting on a brave face, inwardly I felt unworthy. Sorry if this post is sounding like a moan, it's not meant to. It's just another facet to the many ways this diagnosis manifests in us. So on a happier note...I am in a much better place. Grateful and bold 7years on. Forever thankful for this forum and all the ladies who have given me hope inspiration and strength, without even knowing it.
Much love
Deirdre x
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7of9 and Deirdre (what a beautiful name) Thanks for your testimonials! I wish both of you a happy and long life!
JMouse: thanks for your words. I know you from another thread, can it be? Are you in chemo or rads now? I'm having my surgery next tuesday. I hope that we can do the secret handshake for another 40 years!
HUGS
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Yndorian: yes, I've seen you in the Fenbendazole thread, I think.
Nice to meet you! I hope your surgery goes really well. Will you do radiation afterwards? How are you feeling?I've just finished with radiation and already am on hormone suppression medication. It's weird that surgery, chemo, and radiation are now behind me. I'm worried but feeing more free.
Yes, I love the idea of enjoying the next 40 years! Let's do it!0 -
JMouse: yes, you're right. Fz thread. I'm glad that you have all your treatments behind you. Enjoy your new freedom. See you around😘
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Thanks for posting Deirdre. I understand your sentiment. I still feel permanently scarred and completely betrayed by my body. I really look forward to the day I finally forgive my body for letting me down. I’m confident I will get there soon. I too love these boards for the support. It’s amazing. Thanks for posting and providing honest feedback. Xx
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Hi Newnorm,
Here's to moving further away from the blame game and a complete return to good health. We owe it to ourselves.
All the best..... xx
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Re 'betrayed by my body' I want to point out that you can turn that thought around if you practice.... After all WE are HERE and so many women are not!! Many did not respond to treatment (we did) or did not withstand it (we did).
I feel this: being granted a gangbusters response to treatment and having had a fairly rapid return to normal, I get to be the person who is alive-- and I feel like being mean to myself or having animus against my body is wasting the luck I have been given. Like, if I get to be the lucky one, I ought to FEEL like the lucky one. Or I don't deserve that luck!
Your body dd not betray you. A cell went rogue. I know a never-smoker sunny happy straight edge athlete who got lung cancer!! Freak event!! Another friend who had breast cancer 20 years ago said a helpful thing to me: "You are a good apple with a brown spot. You cut out the brown spot, and you are still a good apple."
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santabarbarian, you're so right, a cell just went rogue enough.
DeeMay, I don't know if this will help, but Dr Devon Lawson of the medical school at University of California, Irvine, said the following about blame and breast cancer at a metastatic breast cancer conference sponsored by Komen earlier this year:
"...breast cancer is essentially a genetic disease caused by DNA mutations that are generated during this cell division process.... [ ] ...your cancer is not your fault. It was not caused by something that you did wrong in terms of your lifestyle. It is inordinately caused by this process of cell replication which we all have to do in order to live.... [ ] ...I seem to get this question a lot about what, what did I do wrong. This is how it happens, and it's not because you did something wrong."
If you like, you can hear this part in her talk on youtube at the 32:56 min:sec mark of mets conference keynote address. (The keynote had four speakers and is almost 2 hours long. Her mini-lecture of breast biology and cell division error starts at 25:33, in case you are interested.)
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Thanks so much santabarbarian and JMouse. I will definitely watch that YouTube video. This is exactly the kind of reassurance I need when the negativity creeps in.
Thanks again for the feedback.
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DeeMay: you're welcome.
The conference focused on metastatic breast cancer, so the rest of the video might inadvertently fuel old fears. If you want to be careful, the portion I quoted from (with some skips) was from 32:56 to 33:29 min:sec.
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JMouse thanks for the heads up🤗 That's so thoughtful of you. Hope you're doing well....I only noticed how recent your diagnosis was. All the very best x
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Over 8 years since my diagnosis and I'm still doing well with no recurrence or spread.
However, I have had a cardiac arrest due to severely blocked aortic valve but following valve replacement and mitral valve repair am feeling pretty good. My heart problems were congenital and not due to my cancer treatment though.
Live each day with love
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Thanks, DeeMay. Yes, I'm still in the early days of panic.
I understand what you mean by a cheery public face vs a distraught private one. For me there are what-ifs and regrets, but most of my anguish is our basic fear of recurrence. Reading about you all living 5+ years NED provides much hope. Thanks, all. Congratulations, lifelover, that's fantastic! (It's especially nice to hear this from someone with lymphovascular invasion like me. Thank you for sharing that.) I'm really sorry you are suffering such heart problems.
It sounds like you've gotten timely care at least. I hope you continue to feel better!0 -
JMouse I know that panic all too well, but it does get easier the further away from diagnosis and treatment we get.
8 years out is brilliant lifelover. Wishing you all the very best in the future.
I think we're all champions, so there😘
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Today is the 5 year anniversary of my stage 3 diagnosis. I was 35 and at first I was totally dismissed. Finally I found a doctor that took me seriously after 5 months. That set in motion a year of active treatment. I am very fortunate to have an amazing MO who listened and decided to be very aggressive with my treatment. I had a huge tumor. I did 6 rounds of TC. 2 lumpectomies. 4 rounds of carboplatin. 38 sessions of radiation. And I will be on zoladex and aromasin for at least 10 years.
In the beginning I never thought I would make it this far. I remember feeling stuck and time seemed to move so slowly. This thread, the 10+ and 15+ were lifelines for me. I remember thinking how badly I wanted to be able to post my story on here. I promised myself if I made it this far that I would post in hopes to help the newbies in the way I too was helped.
To all of those who are newly diagnosed and are coming here for the first time, it might seem like it's a lifetime away. But, my hope is that you too will be posting your 5 year post.
I have had scares along the way, I thought for sure it had spread to my my back around christmas time, but so far everything is going as planned. I do not want to jinx myself so I always say "so far, so good" Knock on wood, fingers crossed!
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thanks, metoo!
I feel the same way about making sure I come back if (and when!) I make it to the milestones.
And congrats 😊
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Congratulations MeToo and thank you for sharing your story. It gives me hope.
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Congratulations, MeToo! See you in the 10 Years+ in five.
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8 years today since I was told I have cancer. Still in treatment. Just trying to live my best life. My advice is... Don't forget to breathe and take it 1 day at a time. Love you all.
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Thanks to all of you for posting. I am still in active treatment with a Stage 3C diagnosis and whenever I get down I think of your hopeful posts. I have completed a right mastectomy, 4/4 AC, 1/12 Taxol. Still need to finish taxol and move on the radiation. Keep the survivor stories coming. Honestly, they give me something to hold on to.
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