20 Year Survivor!

smithlme

20 Year Survivor!

smithlme

I have to post for my amazingly, surviving and thriving sister, who will be a 20 YEAR BC survivor on September 13th! Way back then, Sue was 36, with three children, 17, 6 & 4. She had a mastectomy and 30, count them, 30 weeks of chemo. Some of the drugs she had aren't used today. She had double TRAM reconstruction with a prophylactic mastectomy on the other side. Last year, after I was diagnosed BRCA 2+, Sue found out she was, as well. She had a hysterectomy w/BSO last December.

To celebrate, Sue has rented a house along the ocean and with our family and friends we will be celebrating her 20 year milestone. I am so excited and blessed to be alive to be there...

Linda

Anonymous

Linda---that's wonderful news!  I'm so glad to hear that you are both doing well.  Are you planning to have  the oopherectomy as well? My mom is a 22 year survivor of ILC ( lumpectomy, radiation and tamox) without a recurrence; I have LCIS (lumpectomy, tamox; now on Evista, and continuing high risk surveillance); but went thru a TAH/BSO 4 years ago for ruptured ovarian cysts. ( have not been BRCA tested yet, as insurance has said they won't pay)

Anne

smithlme

Hi Anne,

I had my hysterectomy w/BSO last June. I'm trying to stay ahead of this beast...

Linda

cherneski

Bless you and your sister!  What wonderful news!  I love to hear stories like this, thanks for giving us more hope.

Luv Deb

LisaSDCA

Linda - Your sister is remarkable!

I admire her for facing the fact of your BRCA2+ diagnosis and acting quickly to continue to protect her life. Your family truly has something to celebrate in you two sisters - STRONG and brave women.

Have a terrific time at the beach house!!

Lisa  (BRCA1+)

kle

Linda, that is a wonderful milestone!  How far treatment has come in all that time, and continues to change now.  Have a wonderful time with your healthy sister and family!

kle

Anonymous

That's such good news!  Just what I needed to hear.  Thank you for posting.  May I ask what she attributes to being a 20 year survivor?  Did she change her diet, etc? 

Bless you both,

tuckertwo

smithlme

I just got back from our amazing weekend and it was fabulous. We had 5 survivors there, totaling 75+ years of survivorship! Woo Hoo! We painted prayer flags and we will surround our pup tents at the San Francisco Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day with them. These inspiring women, and our family and friends who were there, gave me the kick I needed to push ahead to keep fighting this beast with determination and courage.

I am building a fire pit back in my forest this weekend and creating and hanging my own prayer flags in the trees. I need an outdoor spot to breathe, meditate and continue healing.

Tuckertwo, My sister did turn vegetarian and cut out sugar from her diet. She will never claim that it is what's kept her alive, but who knows? We like to think our angels are watching out for us...who knows!

Be well...

Linda

cakeisgreat

Congratulations and thank you so much for posting!  I am 37 yrs old and really need to remember that we CAN survive this "crapcer.!"

...but I'm still eating cake... Wink 

tiff2008

Awesome, Awesome!!!  Congrats to your sister!  I want to be there too!

dragonfly10

that is one amazing wonderful story!  Word!

my3girls

Linda...congrats to your sister, to you...and may she have another 20...and that you follow along in those wonderful cancer free years that she has had!! What a great story. Thanks so much for sharing!!

Lisa

clowe

CONGRATS TO YOUR SISTER.  MY CO-WORKER IS ALSO A 20 YEARS PLUS SURVIVOR.  HER SON, ANDREW, WAS A LITTLE OVER 2 YEARS OLD WHEN SHE HAD THIS AWFUL S---------. HE IS NOW A JR. AT COLLEGE.  SHE IS ONE TRUE FIGHTER, UPBEAT AND ENJOY LIFE EACH DAY.  YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW SHE EVER HAD BC. 

Makratz

Thanks for sharing your wonderful story.  I wish her 120 more years!