Looking for success stories

tamib

I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in February. I am doing well, but struggling with some fear. I am looking for success stories - those women who have beaten the odds and are going strong years after diagnosis. It really provides me and others with hope. It could be you or someone you know. Thanks!

Jadie

Hi Tami

So glad to hear that you are doing well. I am five year bc survivor. My mother is a nine year bc survivor. We are both still going strong. (Mom is 87 yrs old.)

mmontero38

Hi Tami: I think that at one point we all struggle with fear. You can see just by reading some of the posts. But don't let fear rule your life. Stay positive and live each day to the fullest.

I'm a 1 yr survivor. Love, Lili

Eil4186

Tam, I just met a woman in my support group this week that has met.BC and is going on 10 yrs! She is doing great--involved in volunteer groups, sings in the church choir, quilts, seems very happy and well. There ya go:o) I told her she is a huge inspiration. Eol

Joycelouise

Don't have mets - do have fear. I found the book, Love, Peace and Healing by Bernie Seigal to contain many positive stories and help me with my spirit. Of course we all want health, but it helps me not to only see C as a win or lose battle. I try to measure other success benchmarks - or I could go crazy! But thanks for asking the question you did. I will be checking in to see the responses. They help me too. Love to you, Joyce

24242

I am a success for sure...
10 year Invasive, stage 3 breast cancer with 11 out of 21 positive nodes. I had smoked since a very young age as well as drank but one good thing I was always an athlete so moderation was the key for me. My paternal grandmother died from matestatic bone cancer less than 10 years into her own survival in the 78.
I had two seperate mastectomies treating the cancer side first before having the second one removed at the advice of my mother a pallitive Nurse. I then had 10 rounds of five different drug chemo regime and then had 15 radiation treatments. It took over 5 years to be through with the pain and ill side effects of all the treatments but I am truly doing better than every. I changed careers and now do a very physical job Mudding and Taping drywall. I seem to work less and make more so that works out for me. Stilts are little scary with all the woo factors going on but I do what I have to for sure and it has made me stronger than ever. Doctors thought I wouldn't be able to work full time again but they are all sturned at what I do now.
There is plenty of HOPE for us all and that is where we all need to go and concentrate on that. The thing I learned most from my own fight for life was what truly I had control over and what I do not. It sure simplifies things and stress is the real problem so do what I can to keep that at bay and it isn't easy since the train of life keeps rolling along. There is still so much to face and that isn't fun but there is this flow to life that we all are on...
Tara

inkblot

Hi Tamib,

Am so happy to hear that you're doing well. Keep up the good work! Attitude is so very important and as others have intimated here, don't let fear rule and/or steal your joy. Your life is your own. It's important to know what things you have control over and what things you do not. Remember, you always have control of your RESPONSES in life. That's something we all can consistently work to improve and manage better. Very much worth the effort!

I was dx'd early in 2001. Most of '01 saw me in treatment, following which, I did remarkably well. Unfortunately, I am currently dealing with some cardiac damage, which my docs say is compliments of chemo. I remain optimistic and hopeful that the meds will help. In the interim, I am not sitting round worrying and fretting about the "what ifs" and the "whens". If nothing else, I have learned that when/if bad news comes,
I'll be the first to know. LOL

One of the best things (in my humble opinion) that we can do, is to place emphasis on taking the best care possible of our "whole" selves. There's a mountain of good things out there to learn about living our best lives. I cannot say enough about the importance of resting well, eating properly, taking some "good for you" supplements, exercising and nourishing your spirit. Do your homework, focus on your goals and rise to the challenges as they come. (Don't allow your imagination to run amok and nourish the fear factor) When the rough days come, let them come, then send them packing a.s.a.p.. Our post treatment emotional healing is a HUGE part of the cancer journey and it requires time, effort and our commitment to ourselves that we will not live in fear, but rather, get out there and make our lives whatever we want it to be. It's our 2nd chance of sorts and knowing what we know, post BC...well, it's one heck of an eduction. One which arms us with much of the strength and perseverance we need to make whatever changes we feel we may need and benefit from. An adage comes to mind: "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth". Well, that's sort of us...we're the gift horse...all we have to do is decide what we want to do with that fact. For however long we are here, we must hold precious and valuable, each of our moments, our hours and our days. If we can treat them as the gifts that they are, we surely will not ignore and/or abuse the myriad opportunities laid before us, in each new sunrise.

Wishing you continued good health, few fears,
and much joy...

Love, light & laughter,
Ink

chenheart

I was staged at 2B, a walnut sized lump on my breast with lymphnode involvement. Did the "regular"~ surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, take meds to stave off a recurrance. Do 5K's regularly, exercise almost religiously, I am signed up to do a half-marathon in November, and generally feel GREAT! I am in a healthy relationship with an awesome man, I have a small but amazing circle of friends~ a normal life. You will also come to know this "new normal" we all eventually settle into. It's not so much that I appreciate life now more than I did previously; I think it's just that I want to be Stronger than the Cancer was, if that makes sense. Btw~ my diagnosis was over 5 years ago, and I will be 59 years old 2 weeks from now. There really, really, really is Life After Diagnosis!

Hugs,
Claudia