Remission

vinniesmom

Hello, i am a survivor of BC i have been in remission for about 2 months now. I just want to meet people that have gone through this so that i can get through what i am feeling. I feel sad and scared. I may be carrying a mutated gene that could cause me to get BC again and i am only 29, i keep thinking that i am going to get re-diagnosed when i am 35 and that my life is going to be cut really short. I just need some help getting through this ruff patch. I also want to make some friends.

Baby13

Hi, I'm calling myself a survivor and I'm in remission also, because if I don't believe that I'm receiving the best medical care that I can receive and that God will surely see me through I won't be. I'm surviving BC, I'm 43, am currently taking Herceptin treatments because 5 of my 15 lymphnodes came back positive for cancer after surgery. My doctor said that had she known that I was hormone receptor positive when we began she would have opted for the Herceptin and fewer treatments. She didn't know because when we began this journey I had just moved here and she did not have my entire medical folder so we moved ahead with treatment. Anyway, I think that for me getting through the tough times, I need my family close, that's why I moved shortly after being diagnosed, also a couple of close friends always make me feel so loved and much better. I think that our feelings od sadness or feeling scared, unfortunately will pop up from time to time. But I believe that the best medicine is prayer, love, and time. Time heals all things. I know that we often feel that our lives may be cut short by this monster but I can't let myself be consumed with that thought because it will drag you down into a pit of sorrow and you will have wasted valuable time. Try to surround youreslf with the things and people that make you the happiest. I was unable to take the test to see if I carry the mutated gene, insurance wouldn't cover it but you know I'm not stressing it, I have to keep moving ahead, I have to keep fighting. I know that if I weren't at the spiritual place that I'm at in my life right now I would be so much worse off emotionally than I am. I will pray for you. Hey! I love art and painting and stuff try it even if you think you're not good at it, it's theraputic. Until later oxoxoxo

Susan956

Hello,

Your feelings are perfectly normal. I found that right after I finished treatment my fear was the worst. While I was in treatment... I was actively in the battle and didn't have time to brood... but when I no longer saw my Onc every week... I went a little nuts. I was diagnosed in May 2005... so it is getting close to two years now... and while I think about it every day... I come to this site daily... it no longer consumes me... I am back to a normal life... just one where I probably have a better perspective on life than many people.

Take Care... God Bless.

Susan...

P.S. You will find that there is a great crew here.

cabbott

Susan956 said:

Hello,

Your feelings are perfectly normal. I found that right after I finished treatment my fear was the worst. While I was in treatment... I was actively in the battle and didn't have time to brood... but when I no longer saw my Onc every week... I went a little nuts. I was diagnosed in May 2005... so it is getting close to two years now... and while I think about it every day... I come to this site daily... it no longer consumes me... I am back to a normal life... just one where I probably have a better perspective on life than many people.

Take Care... God Bless.

Susan...

P.S. You will find that there is a great crew here.

I'm about where Susan is too. I was not just scared after being diagnosed. I lived in terror! All I knew about breast cancer then was that people died of it and that wasn't a very comforting thought. I mean, heaven may be a very wonderful place, but I have a son to raise and lots of great things going on here. But meeting many survivors, including one who was diagnosed at about the same age as you are and now is in her mid 40's, helped me to see that breast cancer is sometimes a chronic disease we live with. I still think from time to time how terrified I was at first but after I decided it was all in God's hands and I just had to manage how I got through things one day at a time, I felt a lot better. Lots of prayer, daily exercise and trying hard to eat healthy helps with the depression too. I read a lot of research and it amazes me what things the top guys are finding out about the genetics of cancer. Even if you carry a rotten gene or two, you may also carry genes which mediate their response differently than what someone else with the same genes might respond. In other words, exercise and a healthy diet might change your prognosis even if the mutated gene is there. So hang in there! I found support at church (informal group of too many friends with breast cancer) and at the local Wellness Community (structured group specifically for emotional support). You may be near a hospital with a breast cancer support group(ours is great for answering medical questions) or a Relay for Life organization where you can meet other survivors and work to support cancer research. The National Breast Cancer Coalition in our county is supporting low cost mammograms for women in our community. So when I get down, I just get busy. Inevitably, the folks I'm trying to help end up cheering me up. Good luck on your journey!

LesleyH

Hi vinniesmom - I hope you have had some genetic counseling and advice about what to do to minimize your risk. You don't have to just accept them. There are things that you can do. Nothing is a certainty. None of us know how much time we have. We can only use it as best as we can.

Hugs.

Lesley

vinniesmom

Baby13 said:

Hi, I'm calling myself a survivor and I'm in remission also, because if I don't believe that I'm receiving the best medical care that I can receive and that God will surely see me through I won't be. I'm surviving BC, I'm 43, am currently taking Herceptin treatments because 5 of my 15 lymphnodes came back positive for cancer after surgery. My doctor said that had she known that I was hormone receptor positive when we began she would have opted for the Herceptin and fewer treatments. She didn't know because when we began this journey I had just moved here and she did not have my entire medical folder so we moved ahead with treatment. Anyway, I think that for me getting through the tough times, I need my family close, that's why I moved shortly after being diagnosed, also a couple of close friends always make me feel so loved and much better. I think that our feelings od sadness or feeling scared, unfortunately will pop up from time to time. But I believe that the best medicine is prayer, love, and time. Time heals all things. I know that we often feel that our lives may be cut short by this monster but I can't let myself be consumed with that thought because it will drag you down into a pit of sorrow and you will have wasted valuable time. Try to surround youreslf with the things and people that make you the happiest. I was unable to take the test to see if I carry the mutated gene, insurance wouldn't cover it but you know I'm not stressing it, I have to keep moving ahead, I have to keep fighting. I know that if I weren't at the spiritual place that I'm at in my life right now I would be so much worse off emotionally than I am. I will pray for you. Hey! I love art and painting and stuff try it even if you think you're not good at it, it's theraputic. Until later oxoxoxo

Ya this experiance has taught me to enjoy everyday. I try to stay positive, its hard sometimes though. You don't have a Clinical trial in your area? My gene test is free throug The huntsman center at the university of utah. Guess the more i know about my genetics the better off i'll be, its just shocking what type of actions you can take if you do have the mutated gene. Its scary for me because i would have to think about getting a massectomy and removal of my ovaries... Well anywho, thank you for your comment i apreciate ya!

vinniesmom

Susan956 said:

Hello,

Your feelings are perfectly normal. I found that right after I finished treatment my fear was the worst. While I was in treatment... I was actively in the battle and didn't have time to brood... but when I no longer saw my Onc every week... I went a little nuts. I was diagnosed in May 2005... so it is getting close to two years now... and while I think about it every day... I come to this site daily... it no longer consumes me... I am back to a normal life... just one where I probably have a better perspective on life than many people.

Take Care... God Bless.

Susan...

P.S. You will find that there is a great crew here.

wow your really positive, that's awesome! I know for like 9 months i was seeing a doctor once a week and than your let go set free like a bird, but its the scariest feeling ever! I am starting to feel better as days go by. Thank you for your comment.

God Bless

vinniesmom

LesleyH said:

Hi vinniesmom - I hope you have had some genetic counseling and advice about what to do to minimize your risk. You don't have to just accept them. There are things that you can do. Nothing is a certainty. None of us know how much time we have. We can only use it as best as we can.

Hugs.

Lesley

Ya they actually provided counceling when i went in for the test, those ladies were amazing. Hugs back
Heidi

shelley0914

I am right there too. Although I tested negative for the BRAC mutations, the fear is becoming a constant for me. I was diagnosed at 33 and have been in remission for 18 months. Since I had 52 weeks of Herceptin, I only stopped seeing the doctor at the end of December. He says come back in 8 weeks, but so far, the longest I've been able to manage is 5 weeks. He's given me an anti-anxiety drug that I am very grateful for and referred me to a psychologist.

My biggest issue right now is that I'm hyper-aware of my body. Any twinge, any pain, anything "not normal" scares me. I can put it at bay when I realize this is just another kind of fight. I've got to fight the fear. That works for a while, but I've still got work to do.

As bad as I feel for you others feeling the same, it is oddly comforting to know that we are "normal", just not in a way anyone outside the club can really understand.

I too can use some friends and feel that we're both in good company here!