Yes, we are here.

krkath

Hi Guys,
Just was looking through the sites and what? To my surprise I have followed and probably talked to both of you on each network.
I don't know why I haven't checked it out before, but you're right about being a little uneasy about " Being Out".
Me: Breast Cancer survivor 1 year and 4 months. Still getting over the side effects of chemo regimine Taxotere, A/C combined. Nice to see both of you on this site. And glad to see scouty from the Semi-Colons, thamks to Kathi M. and her wonderful sense of humor.
My partner (8 years) was my Care Giver and believe you me, it was tough. I must say I think I'm pretty lucky for her to have Stuck Around! Even now, she has a hard time watching ANYTHING about Breast Cancer on TV, newspaper or any kind of reports. Sometimes, I think it IS harder for those who Care for us.
Very rough patches, but we're still hangin' in there. Partly because we are just finding out that my particular chemo, has a lot more longer lasting side effects (bone pain, nerve, joint) than we were told.
Like at 6 months my doctors are saying "Wassup with you? Your not feeling better, yet?" And YES, that's hard to go through together, when you think you're gonna be somewhat normal around 6 months to a year.
Well, don't know if I'll hear from you two, but it IS nice knowing you're there.
Either of you have partners that had to go through this with you? I'd like to hear your stories, even if single. The response from you're loved ones, family and friends.
HUGS to you guys. Here's to you Scouty and Susan? 24242?
Kathy R.

lynn1222

hey there, happy to hear about your success. i know getting over chemo is difficult as i am trying to do that myself. i do have alot of bone pain and horrible "chemo brain" cant play the sports i like because of leg weakness. it will all be worth it though, when we get back to what strength we use to have and we can say we whipped it. i had stage 4 rectal cancer and was diagnosed in feb of 2005, after 6 weeks of 24/7 chemo and radiation i had surgery, i had the tumor from the rectum removed and a full hysterectomy just to be safe, i had metastatic disease to both lungs and liver. the doctors told me i had 2 years to live. if we listened to the doctors and their statistics, i hate to think where i might be today in my life. although i do have some issues i am trying to get use to, i am alive and cancer free right now. my partner was my caregiver as well, we have been together for 12 years and have 3 teenage daughters. she is a nurse so of coarse i had top of the line care, after surgery i ended up with a permenent colostomy, i too am a nurse and have always had a tough time dealing with colostomies, so for me to then have one, was a very big deal. i also had a sleeping bladder when surgery was over and had to be straight cathed for 6 weeks every 4 hours. not plesant at all. i turned to the lord immediately and here i am today cancer free because of his mercy and grace. would love to hear more about you and your unfortunate ordeal with cancer. its so hard to find someone to talk to. this site is god sent. i also enjoy talking with the semicolons. hope to hear from you soon. hugs lynn

24242

Wow,
Been hanging at this sight for so long and now actually getting to talk to people like myself is rewarding. 10 year survivor here now, with life returning to somewhat a normal existance, something that wasn't even a dream but I will take everything I can get.
Like you the side effects have been many and extreme and I think my lover more than the doctors wondered what was up with me when so many others don't seem to have half of the problems that I encountered.
Like you we managed to stay together and still are celebrating our 16th year together. Life has changed and I am sure it is not what either one of us expected. But gratitude is something that keeps it real between us. For we have so much to be grateful for.
We had a great life dating each other for 4.5 years long distance when I found my first lump and knew it was time we either got together as a family or stop dating all together. I had a fourteen year old son that was in trouble and I wasn't sure I wanted to bring that on to someone else. But in the end I knew I needed help with that son of mine and moved to be closer to my partner. Just 6 months after finding my new job and moving into our own place when my sickness was all too consuming. I had been told a fibrous cyst and heard what I wanted to hear and moved on. It has been 10 years and we are still trying to pick the pieces of our lives up and it hasn't been easy. I am sure there are times we both wonder what we are doing together and then most of the time so grateful that we have each other. I am still waiting for our every other facit of our lives to return.
I too was very lucky that my Gal stuck around for had I been with anyone of the others I would of been on my own. Just 7 years into my survival we lost our best friend my partners mother, throwing us into caregiver mode. I think it actually was two years after her death that I actually felt I had a partner again because the pain of loss and depression was all too much. Now 2.5 years later we are finding we are having to put our lives back in order once again and that hasn't been easy.
I am writing from my home province since I am here working helping out my parents and family. A month gives us both time on our own and my mate the time she so diserves since she truly likes time to herself. I will never be able to thank her enough for all she has done for me, for that I will be forever grateful. Her family stepped in and took care of me making it easier on my family that lived so far away. My mother was so happy that I had the support of such caring people and made it easier for to deal with being so far away. In the end I was just grateful we could do the same for my mother in-law keeping her home to die when that is truly all she ever wanted. Now I am home giving some of the same to my own.
I will stay in touch when I hit a computer. It is so nice that others feel as I do and need to be in touch with those that truly understand where I am coming from.
Thanks to you all,
Tara