Do I count it as 3 or 2 years

dawn2203

Do I count it as 3 or 2 years

dawn2203

Hi to all you bc sisters. I have been a member for some months now and this site as really helped me to understand bc more than any leaflets the doctors give out. Only you bc sisters truly understand the different feelings and emotions that overcome any woman or man diagnosed with bc. I found my lump 3 years ago but was told it was not cancer, then 2 years ago a routine mammogram confirmed the lump was malignant. My question is am I a 2 year survivor or 3 year survivor.

love to you all.  Dawn.x

gsg

We all have different yardsticks for this.  Some count from the end of treatment, some count from diagnosis...in your case it might be from "misdiagnosis," since obviously the cancer was there, others count from the day of surgery when the cancer was removed.    I'm all over the place on it and never have a pat answer, although lately, when asked, I find myself saying "I finished treatment 2 years ago." 

 Sorry I couldn't be more specific for you.  It's a gray area for me.

BMac

I find this confusing as well.  I asked my ovarian cancer onc this question and she said she counts from the end of all treatments, so I'm 5 years out from that diagnosis.  If you count from surgery I'm 6.

NaughtybyNature

I would say... 2 year survivor... when U actually had the diagnosis and, my favorite, you survived the news.

Happy 2nd year anniversary.