Stage III Cancer Survivors .... 10+ Years and Out
This thread is for STAGE 3 cancer survivors who have made it to 10 years or more since diagnosis or however you count your anniversary. Let's post some hope for those just starting the journey as STAGE 3,
Please keep this thread to its original purpose and move unrelated discussions to new or other threads.
Thanks
Alwayshope ... a 10 year survivor. It can happen!
Comments
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Congrats on 10 years...YEAH!!! Thank you for once again creating a place of HOPE!! Next will be the 15 year survivor thread created by YOU!!! Please, Diana50 put your survivor story here too....both of you woman offer great encouragement to us all!!0 -
I am deactivating this thread. I just don't think there will be enough 10 year survivors to keep the thread active and useful without it floating to pages 6/7 or 10 making it hard to find or even remember it exists.
We still have the 5 year thread and that is still an awesome accomplishment.
Remember there is always hope and to enjoy the journey.
Alwayshope0 -
AlwaysHope...thank you for being willing to start this thread...if its pinned than it would stay on the top! I assume the Mods won't pin it...thats to bad! Just seeing the title in the stage III forum is encouraging...would have been a wonderful gift of HOPE as several of our sisters, such as you, are hitting 10 years!! Have a Merry Christmas!0 -
I think it's a good thread. I vote keep it. As the years go by there will be more and more 10 year survivors.0 -
I vote for pinning it as well.0 -
14-year Stage III survivor here! Keep the faith!
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I vote to pin it, too! I'm heading into my sixth year in a couple of months, so my next milepost is 10 years. I'd love to have this thread around then. But I understand that many BC.org members move on after treatment and don't look back.0 -
Gabrielle, good to hear.0 -
i'm planning on one big party next summer for my 10 year !!0 -
I vote to pin it!
Gabrielle, Nancy D, & Jenni K - congrats and thanks for sharing - you give encouragement and hope.
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i was diagnosed in feb 2002. small tumor but 10 fully encased lymph nodes. Tx was lumpectomy, nodes, TAC (which was a clinical trial back then) and rads. 6 years on arimidex. the first few years were rough', i was scared...anxious..and every little ache..i thought "cancer" took me a few years to get comfortable in my body after the aggressive treatment and also for me to wrap my emotions and head around having a "cancer diagnois" i didn't have scans but i did see my onc every 6 months for blood work and tumor markers.
in august of 2012, ,my tumor marker doubled. i had always been below normal. onc did the test again and it was even higher. i had no pain anywhere except in my right hip. all other blood work great. onc scanned my hip' all i had was a tear in a muscle from too much cycling. she then ordered a PET/SCAN//./and there it was on my T4 vertebra. i had become metatastic. well, i petrifried scared....had to have biopsy...after biopsy found out my cancer was exactly same pathology was it was in 2002. i was never cured but just in remission for 10 and half years. i couldn't believe it.
tx as been 25 rads to T4 vertebre, monthly zometa and letrozole.
so, i had trouble wrapping my head around the stage4 dx. it took me about 6 months to really work through my feelings about the whole thing. but, i have. i feel so grateful for each day; narely think about stage 4 until i go to the cancer center monthly for my zometa or when i am having side effects. i don't think that i will necessarily die from cancer.i think about Boston...and realize that anything can happen at any time. i am not a pollyanna about my cancer; i am actually very realistic. but i was 49 years old when i was initially diagnosed and now i am 61. that is a lot of living; a lot of loving..and i am grateful.
I eat good; but i don't do green drinks. i exercise every day'; walking right now. off the bike because i had surgery on my foot. i journal. i pray every day. i have been able to see my 5 year old nephew grow into a a 16 year old young man. time has been good to me. i only hang with people who love me and i love back. i avoid toxic people. oh, i drink white wine.
i don't think of myself as a survivor...more of a warrior...but really, just a woman who got breast cancer, did the treatment...and continues to live life and make the adjustments that i have to make..around the cancer stuff but just also as i age/. aging is a good thing. that is all i got./ it is a rollar coaster ride some days....but take heart that there are all kinds of new trials and treatments. there are some patients who do really well. you can be one of those patients. i have a friend who is stage 3 who is 14 years out and doing great. i don't post much on the boards now, as i see many of my breast cancer peeps on facebook. but i wish each and every one of you all the best this Christmas and Holiday season. and always into 2014.
that is all i got.
diana 500 -
Diana, thanks for posting and good to hear from you, as always. You and I think quite a bit alike. To many more happy days.0 -
Would love to see this thread continue....I'm not 10 years yet...but hopefully will be in 2016.....0 -
love to hear from you Diana!!!
You've helped me so much over the years!!! I vote to keep this ! Pin it!!
Keep on keepin on !!!!!0 -
Great post, Diana!
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congrats to all !0 -
Congratulations!! This is a wonderful thread and gives so much hope to others struggling through this dx. Diana50 - such a wise post - love it!! Thank you!!
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Diana50, thank you so much for sharing your story of encouragement and hope. You have always been inspiring to me and am thankful you are doing well.
Gabrielle...WOW on 14years...love it!!! Thank you for coming back and cheering us on!
I would ask that the Mods would allow us stage III sisters the joy and hope of having this 10 year survivor thread pinned! Our Christmas miracle last year was Alwayshope starting the 5 year survivor thread ...please allow our Christmas gift this year being a new 10 year survivor thread!0 -
I'm working on the 10 years -- 9+ so far (NED), so nearly there. I'm also triple positive (ER+, PR+, Her2+).
I'm doing great, still on Arimidex after almost 9 years. Hope this gives hope to others.0 -
Congratulations for 10 year survivor! Wish you many many happy and healthy years ahead! Thank you very much for sharing your life stories that makes us stronger and hopeful. Happy Holiday to All!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!0 -
Thanks for giving hope!
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LOVE to " see you Diana . Wishing you a joyous holiday seaon!0 -
I was browsing and honestly I think I was a member of this forum years ago but have forgotten my user name and password so I created a new one just to post here. I'm almost 11 years out, NED and all is well. I was diagnosed at 36 with a nine month old daughter, 6 & 8 year old sons. My oldest is now a sophomore at UGA and my youngest baby girl is getting almost as tall as me. I had 11 pos nodes, all the terrible markers (very aggressive) and all that stage 3 scary stuff.
We ARE out here but just out of treatments and don't have much to share anymore as far as current knowledge. I have forgotten a lot and I think that's one way my mind helped me heal from the terror and stress of my cancer diagnosis.
Hugs to all of you, hope I can give some peace and hope for the upcoming Holidays.0 -
Thank you for sharing, Gapeach!
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Gapeach...thank you so so much..you gave peace and hope!! Thank you for taking the time to encourage us..what a gift to hear from a Stage III sister that is 11 years out!!! Love it!! Please stop by again!!0 -
My husband's friend's aunt had many lymph nodes positive and big tumor and its her 16th year after treatment. I was so happy when she told me her story.
Yes there are a lot of people who warped up in their daily life stuffs and don't visit the site often. It is my 2nd year after diagnosis and i don't visit the site as i used to do on the beginning.
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thank you for giving us hope, Gapeach!
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our gift of HOPE!
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I just wanted to share with you all- My step mom is visiting for the holidays and she reminded me today that she is a 18 year survivor. She had 3 positive nodes and a 3 cm tumor. SHe had lump, chemo, tamox and femara for 7 years. Her sister, my aunt is a 29 year survivor, she had 6 nodes and had radical mastectomy, found tumors in her nodes. She had chemo and no hormonal treatment at all. They are both recurrence free.
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Please, let's continue with this topic. Very encouraging! Don't forget that most women 10+ years don't come to this site anymore so there are more out there.
Optimistic, your history with Arimidex is interesting. I am coming up to 7 years myself and have chosen to continue AIs as part of my ongoing tx.
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