Does anyone here have stories of hope to share?

sophienq

A lot of people right now are really sad, worrying for either their lives or a loved one. Does anyone on here have stories of hope and survival to share with those people? If you are the one feeling sad and alone right now, read these and feel better. I hope that you can all remember when it was you, and help these people. Thanks

CypressCynthia

I was diagnosed back in
I was diagnosed back in 1987, when my Katherine was just 4 years old. My cancer was already Stage 3 A: large tumor with multiple other tumors in the breast and 4 nodes involved. I remember just praying hard to make it to Katherine's 9th birthday. I had bilateral mastectomies, chemo, radiation and years of tamoxifen.

Well, Katherine is 29 now and I have never stopped working and I feel pretty good--all things considered.

Never quit hoping! Your magic bullet may be just around the corner.

disneyfan2008

sorry you are feeling
sorry you are feeling alone....I am about 4 yrs out from the start of my BC...all started 2008...I had it much easier if you can call it that...with the word Cacner in it..but MINE was caughter very eary...I had lumpectomy and 8 wks good point I did not have any side effects at all...no burning, fatigue etc...after 3 1/2 yrs tamoxifen...total hysterctomy...(6mths ago) but fell fit as a fiddle now!

I used a journal a lot..which seemed silly to me at the time but in hind sight it helped a lot...

Denise

Lighthouse_7

disneyfan2008 said:

sorry you are feeling
sorry you are feeling alone....I am about 4 yrs out from the start of my BC...all started 2008...I had it much easier if you can call it that...with the word Cacner in it..but MINE was caughter very eary...I had lumpectomy and 8 wks good point I did not have any side effects at all...no burning, fatigue etc...after 3 1/2 yrs tamoxifen...total hysterctomy...(6mths ago) but fell fit as a fiddle now!

I used a journal a lot..which seemed silly to me at the time but in hind sight it helped a lot...

Denise

Hi, I was diagnosed in 2009
Hi, I was diagnosed in 2009 with IDC, Stage 3A with 8 nodes involved. I had lumpectomy and chemo and radiation.
I am doing just fine today with no evidence of disease ( or as referred to here..".Dancing with NED".

There are lots of stories of hope and survival here and I'm sure you'll see many more.
Hugs,
Wanda

missrenee

Lighthouse_7 said:

Hi, I was diagnosed in 2009
Hi, I was diagnosed in 2009 with IDC, Stage 3A with 8 nodes involved. I had lumpectomy and chemo and radiation.
I am doing just fine today with no evidence of disease ( or as referred to here..".Dancing with NED".

There are lots of stories of hope and survival here and I'm sure you'll see many more.
Hugs,
Wanda

I was also diagnosed in Nov. '09
with IDC, Stage 3C with 10 positive nodes. I also had a lumpectomy, total axillary node dissection, 6 rounds of TAC, 33 rads and am now on Arimidex for 5 years. All things considered, I'm feeling pretty good. A few issues--slight lymphedema, achy bones from Arimidex, big hard post-op scar tissue. But I can definitely live with all that to stay in remission.

I try to live each day to the fullest, be the best person I can be and thank the Lord every day for letting me be a survivor.

Hugs, Renee

SIROD

Seventeen years and counting....
Dear Sophienq,

I was diagnose in 1994 and have seen many new treatments come out since that year. There is no cure at the moment but, there is always the hope of something yet to be.

I am stage IV with mets to my lungs and pleura.

I have many other medical issues. My cancer is not always tops on my list of problems. I have always work and continue to do so.

Reading and learning all you can about your own specific kind of breast cancer is helpful beyond measures.

My physicians and I are a team. Fifty percent of their knowledge and experience and fifty percent of my knowing my body, how it reacts. I have had so many surgeries, infections, all kinds of medical problems that my favorite sayings is "if you keep moving, the grim reaper won't find you".

Best wishes to all who are on this journey,

Doris

tabbyfatgirl1

Don't feel alone
Hey there, please don't feel alone & sad - there are soooo many people with great upbeat & positive stories. I was diagnosed in January 2011, had Lumpectomy, node dissection - none positive. Had radiation & now on Femara. In the meantime my husband was diagnosed with rectal cancer with liver mets in May. We've been through a lot with him - but still positive - he's much better and my cancer was just this little thing that had to be taken care of - I don't even think about it, hardly ever anyway. I won't say it hasn't been hard, but I got my energy level back quickly. I do remember how it was - mine was pretty recent I guess & I thought breast cancer? me? no. Please keep a positive attitude if you can, that helps so much. I also had a great support group of women at my job, actually two of us were diagnosed within 1 week of each other and another woman had been diagnosed 2 years before that - now this is in a total of 10 people in the office. All 3 of us are doing GREAT!!! I wish I could give you a big ole hug, because you are not alone. Take care!

KathiM

5 years post treatment in July....
First dx'ed with stage III rectal cancer in 2004, a PET scan found primary stage II breast cancer in Jan 2005. After all treatment for rectal cancer, Aug 2005 I had a lumpectomy with sentinel node/next set removed. Started my second set (!) of chemo/rads 6 months after the stuff for the rectal....2005 was NOT a good year!!!

July 2006 was the end of all treatment for both cancers. Except Tamoxifen, which I will finish December of this year.

So far, I have not had a reoccurance on either, thankfully!

My life has changed dramatically, I retired and am living in 2 countries. My beau and I travel alot, and are now together taking on the challenge of upgrading my mom's house (she passed in April) and preparing it for renting or selling.

Some of these decisions were made based on other factors, but alot was because of the statement 7 years ago, the day after Thanksgiving, that I had 6 months to live, according to other people who had my same cancer. If you read my page, you see that there has been many that I have lost in these 7 years, as well.

I am now an inventor. In addition, I sold my computer consulting business, so that I could live in 2 places. I am considering, depending on how this whole renovation goes, buying houses, fixing them, and selling....

So, yes, there IS hope!!! I treat my body well, it still has it's challenges. (recently, I had a small bowel obstruction from twisting and lifting...leftover from my resection surgery in 2005).

I live life with joy, and share my friendship with many. It's as much for me as for them....

Hugs, Kathi

carkris

KathiM said:

5 years post treatment in July....
First dx'ed with stage III rectal cancer in 2004, a PET scan found primary stage II breast cancer in Jan 2005. After all treatment for rectal cancer, Aug 2005 I had a lumpectomy with sentinel node/next set removed. Started my second set (!) of chemo/rads 6 months after the stuff for the rectal....2005 was NOT a good year!!!

July 2006 was the end of all treatment for both cancers. Except Tamoxifen, which I will finish December of this year.

So far, I have not had a reoccurance on either, thankfully!

My life has changed dramatically, I retired and am living in 2 countries. My beau and I travel alot, and are now together taking on the challenge of upgrading my mom's house (she passed in April) and preparing it for renting or selling.

Some of these decisions were made based on other factors, but alot was because of the statement 7 years ago, the day after Thanksgiving, that I had 6 months to live, according to other people who had my same cancer. If you read my page, you see that there has been many that I have lost in these 7 years, as well.

I am now an inventor. In addition, I sold my computer consulting business, so that I could live in 2 places. I am considering, depending on how this whole renovation goes, buying houses, fixing them, and selling....

So, yes, there IS hope!!! I treat my body well, it still has it's challenges. (recently, I had a small bowel obstruction from twisting and lifting...leftover from my resection surgery in 2005).

I live life with joy, and share my friendship with many. It's as much for me as for them....

Hugs, Kathi

My first one was in 1994. I
My first one was in 1994. I have a friend who was dx with a 5cm tumor 2 nodes in 1992 and she has been well. I know many survivors in all stages and kinds. have hope.

debi.18

carkris said:

My first one was in 1994. I
My first one was in 1994. I have a friend who was dx with a 5cm tumor 2 nodes in 1992 and she has been well. I know many survivors in all stages and kinds. have hope.

Stage 4
My sister in law was diagnosed with Stage 4 BC. They told her if the treatments didn't work she had about 6 months to live. Today, 6 years later she is healthy and happy.

I believe prayers and her postive attitude had a lot to do with it. She refused to give up and fought every step of the way. She was determined to fight and win and she did!

SIROD

debi.18 said:

Stage 4
My sister in law was diagnosed with Stage 4 BC. They told her if the treatments didn't work she had about 6 months to live. Today, 6 years later she is healthy and happy.

I believe prayers and her postive attitude had a lot to do with it. She refused to give up and fought every step of the way. She was determined to fight and win and she did!

Stage IV
Hi Debi,

It isn't an attitude that has kept your sister-in-law to still be around 6 years after being dx with stage IV.
All the money spent on breast cancer research has not been able to cure that stage but it has been able to extend life.

Most women today will do well living for a decade or more. Some the 1% will live a normal life span. One thing stage IV isn't is an immediate death sentence.

Forty-five years ago, my aunt was diagnose with stage IV in her lungs. Three months later she was dead.
We have come a long way from those days.

Best wishes to your sister-in-law and may she be in that 1%.

Doris

skipper54

SIROD said:

Stage IV
Hi Debi,

It isn't an attitude that has kept your sister-in-law to still be around 6 years after being dx with stage IV.
All the money spent on breast cancer research has not been able to cure that stage but it has been able to extend life.

Most women today will do well living for a decade or more. Some the 1% will live a normal life span. One thing stage IV isn't is an immediate death sentence.

Forty-five years ago, my aunt was diagnose with stage IV in her lungs. Three months later she was dead.
We have come a long way from those days.

Best wishes to your sister-in-law and may she be in that 1%.

Doris

ONly 16 months from dx BUT
I think prayer and attitude have a lot to do with how you come through the treatments and how you fight the beast.

For stories of hope check out "Chicken Soup for the Breast Cancer Survivor's Soul" and "Pink Ribbon Stories" by Tammi Miller. I have friends who are 13, 18, & 32 year survivors.

MyTurnNow

Hi Sophienq. I was first
Hi Sophienq. I was first diagnosed in July 2009 and had a lumpectomy, chemo and rads. Then, one year later in 2010, I had a recurrence and had a bi-lateral mastectomy. One year later, in June 2011, it came back again and this time had also metastisized to my liver. I am currently going through chemo. Throughout all treatments and surgery, I have managed to continue to work full time and continue to work out full time (5 days a week). I have an amazing family full of love and support along with all the wonderful sisters and brothers on this site. It has been an inspiration to me and helped tremendously on those "off" days. We are a wonderful site full of beautiful kindred spirits. Take care and (((hugs))) coming your way.

mgm42

I'm back to say "hi"
I'm back on these boards in the hopes of offering some encouragement. I am celebratinig my 4th anniversary of being cancer free. I'm here to say that I feel great and I enjoy life, each day as it comes. To all of my sisters and brothers out there, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Love to you. Marilynn

Lynn Smith

mgm42 said:

I'm back to say "hi"
I'm back on these boards in the hopes of offering some encouragement. I am celebratinig my 4th anniversary of being cancer free. I'm here to say that I feel great and I enjoy life, each day as it comes. To all of my sisters and brothers out there, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Love to you. Marilynn

My mom
My mom was a 60 year survivor dx at 21.My friend is a 16year survivor dx with stage 3 with 3 lymph nodes involved. She had a lumpetomy and doing fine.Another friend had a fast growing aggressive cancer dx 6 year ago and no recurrence.Had a lumpectomy.My niece is a 6 year survivor dx at 30.She had a masectomy the first year and a masectomy the second year.She had pre cancer cells a year after her dx so it was suggested the other breast be taken.She had reconstruction and doing fine.Smokes alot is the thing that worries me though.

I was dx with DCIS Stage 0,no node involvement,1/2 centimeter tumor non invasive cancer 2 1/2
years ago.No chemo or radiation but taking tamox for 5 years. Since dx 3 benign tumors have been found that has stressed me. That has been the hardest part but thankful no cancer.

Wishing you the best.More and more men and women are living longer lives after dx.New things are found all the time for treatment.Just reading on here all of those who are not responding to one treatment there is usually another.That makes me feel better. I always thought if one thing didn't work than there was nothing else. Light at the end of the tunnel.

Lynn Smith

mamolady

I see women all the time
I see women all the time that are in various stages of breast cancer at work. (doing mammos) Some with a mastectomy on one side or a lumpectomy with radiation. I have a friend that was diagnosed with her first mammo in 1982! One gal I know had 22 lymph nodes positive, 18 years ago. As long as we are here, there is hope.
I passed my one year from diagnosis last month. The first of many to come!

Cindy