Stage III Cancer Survivors...15+ years and out
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I had a PET not long after all the treatments were finished, and another one a year later. My doctor was ok with ordering them and left it up to me. I felt well, and didn't want to expose myself to unnecessary radiation. It's been so many years since then I can hardly recall the scan anxiety I endured, but waiting for results wasn't fun.
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benji69, I had a PET scan after my treatment, but before I had my DIEP reconstruction. I felt I would probably not go through with the recon if any metastasis showed up. My treatment ended with radiation in the Fall of 2008. I had a PET in late 2009 and I my recon surgery in January 2010. I haven't had any other PET scans since then.
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Thank you for your input. After two clean mammograms, an MRI, and a PET scan I “bravely “ had my port out today. I can’t believe I had it for two years. I feel like I can really accept that treatment is over. I know it will never be totally out of my mind but with the very helpful examples I see here I’m optimistic
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Congrats on your port removal Benji!!0
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I am having mine removed on Monday. I finished radiation in December so I am 16 months out of treatment.. worried but trying to be confiident
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congratulations Benji! I just had mine taken out 3 weeks ago during my implant exchange. Had it in for 17 months , happy with my decision
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Please allow me to entertain you sisters.
I hated my port as well as what it represented. I came w a lyric to the tune of take me to the church from my fairlady musical. The lyric goes as
Two more visits to my Onco. Two more pricks to my port and eight more bad days and I will be deported I cannot wait at all. (4bad days after each chemo for me) I sang my song the entire length of my chemo #7 &8 for four weeks. Yeah my hubby thought oh my Lord. Chemo did mess up my wife's brain chemical.
congrats for deportation of chemo port Benji!!!
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I would like to know what your Oncology visit is like now that you have reached 15 years plus. My last "exam" was a reading over my labs and talk about the fact they were perfect. No exam No breast check nothing.......my previous docs always did a head to toe checking nodes etc. I feel I am being ignored.
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My oncologst ordered to keep up my Zometa indefinitely at the 10 year mark. I have not formally seen him since. i do see the onc nurse prior to my Zometa. My GP has to be reminded I am a survivor and at my last exam had to be encouraged to do a breast exam !
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Yesterday (02/03/2021), I joined the 15 year club!!!! In my records, my date of diagnosis is 02/02 but I heard those dreaded words on 02/03/2006. 15 years of living, of birthdays, wedding anniversaries, watching my kids grow up. One Bat Mitzvah, 2 high school graduations, 2 university graduations, 1 university graduation in the future, 1wedding, 3 young adults leave the nests. All of the other life cycle events. All things I am grateful for. Life is always is full of challenges, but life if GOOD! Here's to the next 15 years.
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I can't join the 15 year club yet, but I have reached the 10 year club. Yippee!! See you all in 5 years
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Hi Kiwimum!
You're almost there to FIFTEEN! TEN years is a milestone in itself! I am a 23 year survivor and doing well. The only after effects of all the chemo and radiation is severe fatigue and definite chemo brain but hey, it's all good! They didn't use ports when I went through it in '97-98. Feel very very blessed! Would love to hear from you or anyone on here!\
Would love to hear from you all!
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Thank you weesa! I'm a 23 year breast survivor and still a bit in lalaland! Still deal with severe fatigue and if anyone wants to suggest anything, I am GAME! I was diagnosed before ports were being used! I got through it while living alone but family would come every three weeks to stay a bit for each treatment. It was a tough time but hey, I'm here and just had bloodwork last week! All's well!
I'm mentoring some women going through this and it's nice to give back. Not to pat myself on the back but being single and a retired teacher, I have plenty of time to spend time with my ladies, either on the phone or at a 'distance!'
Would love to hear from any of you ladies!
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Scar- awesome news on 23 years. To the net 23 years! I too enjoy giving back.
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Well dang it, looks like I forgot to post 16 years NED and I'm late on posting 17 years NED which happened last month - but I'm still here and doing great 😊
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CO,
It saves me! I enjoy cooking so love to take them meals! Had a mentor meeting zoom..... other night and learning how to be one! Bit tricky because the women are like I was, a bit out of it with so so much information to take in and decisions to be made.
How far out are you?
Thanks for writing! Linda
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Hi , I am new to this forum, I have been diagnosed with BC just this January, I had mastectomy done in Feb and soon to have my chemo on 24th of March. I just want to ask if any one has followed a special diet to lower the risk of recurrence? So many information on the internet now but mainly seeing a plant based diet. Is this something o should consider? Any way I am hoping that post here 15 yrs later to tell everyone that I am a survivor.
BtW, I am only 37 with 2 kids, 4&7, diafano ed with stage 3a ILC, 6cm, 6/16 nodes positive Er,Pr+ her2 -, no family history on both sides so this was a complete shock not only to me but to my whole family. Life changing it is..thank you for your future response.
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Hi Mumofvictory
I can tell you what I did but that doesn’t mean it is the best thing to do, just what made me feel better. I radically changed my diet to fresh foods, no red meat and only fish once a week, no sugar. Where I could I purchased organic. I stopped all dairy. I also did Chinese herbs and acupuncture. I also introduced ground flaxseed everyday. I minimised stress and tried to meditate daily even just for 5mins. All of the above definitely made me feel better and helped me get through chemo. I also discovered after I finished my treatment that fasting can improve the efficiency of chemo. My tumour definitely responded to chemo well, although I did have residual cancer after chemo, as I had neoadjuvant chemo. I wish you all the best.
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momofvictory - I pretty much eat the same as before - just celebrated 15 years last month - I've always had a healthy diet - I eat red meat once/week, chicken, fish, rice, potatoes, spinach salads, other raw veggies and cooked veggies, fruits and I still eat "junk food" - choloate, ice cream, licorice (red), drink wine - my taste has changed from semi dry white to dry red, beer and single match scotch. I've never liked coffee and gave up diet soda after chemo as it was irritating my stomach. I only have a drink 1 -2 times/week max. I walk daily (2 - 3 half hour walks) - this is an increase from before diet, though I've always been active. I maintain a healthy weight. I even eat tofu a couple times/month. I eat very little canned/frozen or otherwise prepared food. I cook from scratch as I like my food better than most others. Even before Covid, we rarely ate out except when we are on vacation.
Wishing you an easy time through treatment and celebrating a long, healthy life.
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16 years and 2 months for me.....Who would have "thunk it " ? I just went off all AI meds and feel renewed to say the least ! With a diagnosis of IIIc and 22/22 nodes I have to say the future was pretty frightening ! I had a fabulous team that I attribute my longevity as well as to God . I have NED and just pushed up my checkups to yearly. I am doing very ell and am truly blessed beyond measure !
Never give up hope Ladies !
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That is so awesome Texgirl!!! So glad to read your story! You are a ray of sunshine for me.
Sending you lots of joy and love!
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Congratulations Texgirl and thanks for sharing. You truly have shown us all to never give up hope. May you continue to be NED forever
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texgirl...16. ...that is Awesome!!!
Congratulations and thanks for sharing.
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This thread is so unbelievably inspiring! Thank you to everyone who posted these amazing success stories! People just starting out on this journey definitely need to hear from you!
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Hey look Weesa - I made it! Now you can enjoy a Kevin Costner moment as yet another lucky survivor comes to visit what you've built. Thank you for carrying the torch for me and so many others for so many years. I'll be waiting for your 20-year thread to show up!
Hugs to all - Julie
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My mom will be 23 years out from her diagnosis this September. She was Stage 3C ILC, 7 cm tumour and 13 positive lymph nodes. She was HR+ but her Her2 status is unknown. She had a double mastectomy, chemo and radiation. She did try Tamoxifen but couldn't handle the side effects and only managed to be on it for a few months. She is alive and well and turned 80 last year. She was a major player when I got BC, helping me out of my doldrums and giving me wonderful pep talks. So grateful that she has done so well
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so inspiring, Dutchgirl! thanks for sharing your mom’s story.
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To Scar1888, Thank you for your post. I , too, am single. Had past relationships but happily single now. I have never boo-hood about that and lived a great life as a hard working gal. Tough as nails and never scared and until this post and breast cancer I have never felt so alone. I do not have a huge family and through this I see who has been a true friend and what family members have been there. But I cannot count on them for everything. Today I start radation and I am scared to death. Never have I been like this . Almost in tears this morning and just want to run away from every aspect of treatment. I was going to start a forum for single women who navigate this alone but came up and this topic seems to be so much more upbeat than some other ones on this forum. I have very early stage but the darn Her2+ which meant chemo, radiation, eventual AI drugs, etc. It has been a journey I never thought I would be on....alone.
Good to hear how some survivors on this post are many years out. So far this has ruined my horizon for the future and I need to stop thinking like that.
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just hit 16 yrs from my nasty stage IIIC and living my best life. Grateful everyday
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Linda - 16 years!!!! awesome...it's so nice that we are all growing old together. Hard to believe that we've known each other so long - 15 years for me this past February. Be well.
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