Just checking in...

I'm not sure the last time I was on here but it's been quite a while...almost a year. Checked for the status of some very inspirational women on here, 1 has passed and 1 is still fighting. I'm 2 1/2 years out from my original diagnosis in September 2010 and almost 2 full years from last treatment. So far, tests are showing an all clear and I am hopeful that I will be among the warriors who survive this disease. I can't help thinking about those who are fighting desperate battles or have lost their fight. Prayers go out to them and their families.

But for those of us who are still in this, keep on, keeping on. There is hope. Last summer, a year after treatments (still on Arimidex now, but all the really difficult treatments completed), I still felt drained, exhausted, weak. I finally started back to the gym. It was a slow and painful process but I am now exercising 5-6 times per week doing cardio and weight sets and feeling almost as well as I did prior to diagnosis.

Like many of you, I still look over my shoulder, wondering if I did the right thing by opting for lumpectomy (breast surgeon recommended so I went for it). Did the chemo cause permanent damage? Is the Arimidex helping or...? It's a long road.

But if you are reading this you are still here, still able to make a difference in someone's life. Isn't that what it's really all about.

Signing off for now. Best of luck to you all.

Barbara