Life does not end with a stage IV diagnosis (really!)
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Congratulations on your retirement, exbrxgrl. The picnic celebration sounds perfect.
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exbrnxgrl, yes congratulations on your retirement! Enjoy every minute xo
Divine, thank you for sharing those suggestions from the class. Printing those out and making that my new “refrigerator inspirational post”
Blue girl, fishing trip sounds fun, thanks for sharing that resource.
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Piggy- I was wondering when I saw your name in another thread if you had graduated and I am so happy to see that you have! Onward and upward, right?
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crying as I am reading it, Piggy.
Could be another newly diagnosed will read your post and it may change the reminder of her life ..
That was a huge achievement - why do you feel the need to apologise for bragging- we say what we feel - and this is to be celebrated.
Wishing you long a prosperous life with many more reasons for joy , thank you for posting.
exbrnxgrl, congratulations on your retirement. Wishing you to enjoy all that life has to offer.
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Congratulations on retirement!!! You will love it, and can get the puppy you’ve been wanting
Piggy congratulations too!! What an accomplishment!!
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Thanks, everyone. I had a feeling that this would be a welcoming place to celebrate the things that cancer DIDN'T manage to snatch away.
Exbrnxgrl, congratulations on your retirement - although I don't think there's such a thing as a "retired" teacher. Once a teacher, always a teacher. I still write Christmas cards for my elementary school teacher (where I'm from kids get one teacher for all four years of elementary - it's a pretty intense bond). It's been 36 years, and I still consider her one of the most influential people in my life.
Cheers for all you do, and for all people-shapers out there!
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Wow! So much good stuff here.
Exbrnxgrl, aka Caryn, congratulations on your retirement! I am feeling so good about that, as you and I joined this forum and the stage iv boards just about the same time ten years ago! I'm thrilled we're both here to mark the occasion! As I was a school aide at the time, all your teacher insights and adventures were of interest to me. Now these many years later, you have officially retired! My gosh, didn't that seemed like the blink of an eye? And yet we've packed so much in to this past decade. Amazing. Once again, a big, huge congratulations! It's a well-deserved retirement and gosh, going through a pandemic your last year of teaching. Incredible.
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Quote from Piggy99: Today, almost three and a half years from that phone call, I graduated from Harvard Law, Magna cum Laude. Am I bragging? Yes, I think I am. Is it inappropriate? Just for today, I don't really care.
"Am I bragging? Is it inappropriate?" HELL TO THE NO, Piggy99!!!!! There's not a shred of inappropriateness about it! You SHOULD be expressing pride in your impressive accomplishment! I'm so happy that you came to this thread to share your story and wonderful news to us. I got tears in my eyes last night as I read your post, and now I'm crying as I write this in response. Please bask in the light of your newly earned law degree. In my humble opinion, you are allowed to brag about graduating Harvard Law for always! In itself, it is quite the achievement, but how about the personal circumstances you are dealing with surrounding this degree. That adds a lot more layers to your story. Those of us here are all thrilled and impressed by your determination because we have an understanding of how mbc affects one's life; but may I also say, that determination in action is one of the most wonderful gifts you could give your children, that they see their mom going after her dreams even during difficult times. You are a shining example to them about perseverance and living life fully. My hat's off to you, Piggy! Congratulations!!!! I hope you have a great big bottle of champagne to celebrate with!
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Just posting in case anyone may be interested:
AstraZeneca is looking for photos and and quotes to be posted on their website, Beyond Pink: Sharing Our Metastatic Breast Cancer Story
All you would need to do is:
1. sign release form
2. select a photo to share
3. write quote (Per AstraZeneca: The quote can be anything you want to share with the community to inspire others, what has given you strength, what you hope for the future, etc. Please no mention of companies or treatments.)
(No video recording at this point).
We only have till Tuesday, June 2, so if you're interested in being featured, please submit quickly
Please email Michelle.Cosgrove1@astrazeneca.com for the release form.
Thanks so much !!
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Love reading all this!
Exbrnxgrl, congratulations on retirement! After I read your post from a while ago when you talked about doing yoga on a table via Zoom or Teams so the kids could see you... that is how I picture you, making it work regardless of the situation or circumstance. You have given me so much hope! Welcome to this next phase of life.
Piggy99, oh my god, that is an incredible achievement! Like others, I got teary reading your post. Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us, you are amazing and I think you may want to consider renting a billboard, and a skywriting plane, and have a parade? None of that would be bragging, just facts.
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Piggy,
Thrilled for you, I just read your post to my spouse. Now we're both smiling through tears. Brava!
Exbrnxgirl, retirement is a whole new world that takes some getting used to. Pace yourself and enjoy!
Tina
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Caryn-Congrats on your retirement! Glad you were able to get back into the classroom in person. It would have been strange to retire after only seeing the kids on zoom.
Piggy-Congratulations on your graduation! How absolutely amazing. So happy for you.
I have no major milestones to report but am enjoying life. I went to my first real party in over a year this week-it was outdoors. We had so much fun laughing and eating together. There's a few more social gatherings happening this weekend so life is starting to feel a little more back to normal. I'm looking forward to my first trip to Greece in a few weeks.
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Piggy: Brag. Open a window, stick your head out and scream loud enough to be heard blocks away "I graduated law school magna cum laude" Congratulations. You go, Girl!!
Exbrnxgrl: Free at last!! I can remember leaving my last job that I actually really liked but still found my head singing "I feel free, I feel free, I'm free, I'm free, I'm free" It was crazy the things I first loved about not working. I didn't have to plan the week's meals in advance and do all the shopping on the weekend. I could do laundry on Wednesday, during the day. I could buy what I felt like for that day's supper the morning of. I still get up relatively early - just not 6:00 a.m. If I can't sleep I don't worry about how it will affect my day. I wish you all the best at this new juncture in your life.
Chicagoan: I don't know when I'll feel ready for a long haul flight. I hope you have a great trip to Greece'
British Columbia is picking up speed on its vaccinations so I should be getting my second soon. I can't wait to have friends over, ukulele playing, BBQ's, wine/beer/martinis on the deck. HUGGING!! I really want to hug someone other than DH and the cat.
I am grateful to have a husband, who I like as a friend, trapped with me though lock downs and stay-at-home orders. I wonder how many couples realized that it was the work, school etc that gave them space from each other and now they realizes they don't actually like each other all that much? I hope not too many.
Stay well and safe everyone. This time we really are rounding the corner but not into the path of an oncoming semi.
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Piggy99 - shout it from the rooftops sister!!!. That is a rocking accomplishment
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Superdooper congratulations Piggy99 on your pursuit of internal happiness🤩
So wonderful to achieve the degree ...yes hard work doess pay off and the does help overcome this regime we are on
First diagnosis did not stop me completing two year field research and work placements for my Masters in Museum studies..close family members did not doubt that I would finish
All the best
Cheers
Bright in hope
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Exbrnxgrl - Congrats on retirement! Best of luck with new adventures.
Piggy99 - Congrats! I love your story. I oscillate between jumping in on new things and holding back, so your story is very inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing!
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Piggy99 - Wow, congratulations, you are indeed an inspiration! You were one of the first to reach out to me on my post about my stage IV dx and my fears, so thank you for that back in Nov of 2019. Heck yeah you need to share, this is not bragging this is a huge accomplishment at any age without MBC!
Exbrnxgrl - congratulations on your retirement, well deserved! You are also an inspiration as teachers are such important people in our lives, nurturing our kids and to work for 10 years on MBC treatment is also inspiring! Your retirement celebration sounds lovely!
Chicagoan - fantastic to have a trip to Greece to look forward to in a few weeks, enjoy every minute!
BlueGirl RedState - Casting for the Cure sounds fantastic. My husband wanted me to sign up for that back in 2008 - I need to check in to it now.
I love this thread as it reinforces that we need to make plans and live life, of course with the realities of our dx and treatment. I have made some plans, working around faslodex injections and quarterly petscans as best as I can. Thank you all for the communal celebration and inspiration!
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One word. AMAZING. New to this board and had to stop several times to brush away the tears
Too often I read or just focus on all the bad stuff - immediately imagining myself having all the side effects, treatments and challenges- which may happen or may not. I’m 4 months in to a de novo dx and I can’t stop thinking about worst case scenarios / death sentences , all the things I won’t see or experience I need to get out of my own head I need to read more like this
So wonderful and inspiring to read this board. Thank you.
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Welcome ChathamLady,
To give hope and inspire is why I started this thread! While it is true that a stage IV dx brings struggle and diminished QOL to many, there are outliers and exceptional responders as well and more of us as new meds are approved. I’m glad we could provide something positive for you. Take care.
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Exbrngirl- Congratulations on a Well-Earned Retirement!!! Finally, there's time for everything and to learn new things too!!
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Piggy - congratulations on your Harvard Law degree and graduating Magna cum Laude. You have every reason to brag.
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Piggy--I want to add to the congratulations and thanks for your posting your Harvard Law degree and the history of getting there with MBC. It's a greet achievement, and also an inspiration for a relative newbie like me, as I think about what I can still accomplish of the missions I had set out for myself.
And congratulations exbrnxgrl on retiring after what has sounded like a long and fulfilling teaching career, also inspiring.
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Piggy, congratulations on such a wonderful achievement. of course you are allowed to brag. you SHOULD brag. graduating from harvard law school is an accomplishment all by itself. and then graduating magna cum laude and with MBC!!!!! what an inspiration you are and i hope that some of the women logging in to this site are inspired by you and take on a project that they didnt think they could because of the MBC. I'm so happy that you have allowed us to share in your excitement!!! i hope you are celebrating.
Exbrngirl - congratulations on your fullfilling your teaching career and are able to retire. What a wonderful feeling that must be. no more lesson planning, you can sleep late if you want to. i'm sure there are many more things you can and will do. i do hope you enjoy this time and go out and do things you'd like to do. you didnt let MBC stop your teaching career, it shouldnt stop you from enjoying this part of your life too.
when i was first diagnosed with MBC just 2 years ago, this was the first forum i went to. i was attracted to the name, life does not end with a stage iv diagnosis (really). just seeing the name of this forum helped me get out of the hole i felt like was in. i was inspired by all the posts on this forum and on the bone mets forum. i was sure i was going to die, like tomorrow. i couldnt sleep at night because i was wondering what it was like to die. anyway i felt so good when i read all the posts, about women who were doing well, working, enjoying life and being relatively symptom free and cancer free or cancer stabilized. i immediately changed my thinking to a positive one. i hope that there are women out there that are reading the posts by piggy and Exbrngirl and are inspired and feel that MBC is not a death sentence. many people accomplish so many things, graduating law school (harvard, no less). There is a lot to be encouraged by. Keep doing the things you want to do, dont let MBC get in the way.
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Thank you all for your congratulations! Although I’m retiring, education remains a passion. Additionally, I work for a small school district (6 elementary, 2 middle schools) and I was a parent at my school for 11 years before I ever taught there. The sense of community and caring has been amazing and I just can’t completely cut ties. I do plan on subbing when I’m eligible in January.
I just looked at the op and realize I started this thread in 2014!! I got a bit of flack early on and even a couple of very critical, ugly pm’s but I was determined to help folks understand that there was not just one “flavor” of mbc. I clearly understand that mbc will likely be my cause of death eventually, but exceptional responders do exist and in my very unscientific observation there are more of us living longer. I hope this thread remains active and provides some hope and light for mbc patients, new and old. Take care all. I’m about to write my very last weekly news email to families in my class. I will miss them all!
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FYI: MBC MEET UP CANCELED Today due to US Holiday. See you next week!
Also, in trying to cancel the meeting for today, a mistake was made and it canceled the registration of some people. OUR sincerest apologies. Please re-register, and join us!
When: Mondays, 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMud-mppjguE9cVL5jJvM8j5-fR5kByW3Ui
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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You rock Piggy. Congratulations
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And congrats Exbrngirl to you too
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I just found this forum for the first time today, and your post is the first thing I read. I was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer in November. I'm so grateful to you exbrnxgrl - I've been searching for some information on 'real life' experiences. I'm feeling extremely emotional, so I won't post too much today, but I am the person you were writing to when you started this post in 2014. Over the past 6 months, I've made some big decisions to keep working, remodel my house, and take six trips to 10 new countries over the next 18 months. (I'm a voracious traveler - I was at 63 countries prior to this diagnosis.) My first scan following the localized radiation treatment to my pelvis is next week, and I started to feel anxiety about the scan and wonder if I was crazy to think I could continue to live my life. This post helped immensely to keep me in the moment and take things one step at a time. Thank you.
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(((((temerarious))))) so glad you found this wonderful group of people. You are quite inspirational with all your travel. Thank you so much for sharing!
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temerious,
I am so glad you posted! Here’s what I have to say about making plans at stage IV; you can only make decisions based on what you know today. That being said, I always try to make sure that all deposits are refundable and I buy travel insurance for folks like us who have pre-existing conditions. I’m an avid traveler myself, having been Peace Corps volunteer and a Pan Am flight attendant. As of yesterday I can say that I’m a retired teacher!
I don’t feel that my attitude toward bc can or should work for everyone. My intention is not to proselytize but just to help people understand that they shouldn’t put their feet in the grave before they have to. Take care
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Wooohooooo RETIRED!!! 💃💃💃Enjoy!!!
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